Generally, if the recession is minimal (1-2mm), and there is no loss or recession of the gum tissue that extends in between teeth then you are likely to have a very high success rate. That is, you can expect root coverage (a full reversal of recession) almost 100% of the time.
Degree of Gum Recession
Meanwhile, when gum recession is moderate to severe without loss of tissue in between the teeth, gum grafting can still be highly successful. Gum graft failure often happens when gum tissue in between the teeth has also receded. Long-term root coverage can be hard to achieve.
Gum grafting boasts high success rates of over 90%. This procedure gives you the best chance of treating gum recession and improving your overall oral health. Left untreated, gum recession can result in cavities, severe gum disease, tooth mobility and even eventual tooth loss.
Usually, you can tell you have a failed gum graft because you will have a large white patch of white tissue that has come off the tooth. Sometimes it may even look like the gum graft is falling off.
Gum graft surgery is a safe and effective treatment that will remarkably improve the patient's oral health. Patients will be able to return home on the same day. But if sedatives were used, they will need to arrange for transportation. The tissue healing typically takes about four to eight weeks.
With a gum graft, you can expect it to remain in place for a lifetime, but you will need to take care of your oral health on a daily basis. This means brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush and being mindful of how much pressure you're using while brushing.
This exposes more of the tooth root, leaving it vulnerable to decay and sensitivity. About 15-20% of the patients ages 20-35 have some sort of gum recession and may require grafting. About 75% of people older than 50 will require some form of gum grafting due to age and normal chewing.
The grafted material can often look gray until a blood supply is established. Gum tissue requires a blood supply, which gives it pink/red color. The grafted material is not connected to the blood supply. Without a blood supply, it looks pale.
Graft failure can be caused by factors such as: Poor formation of the graft union due to problems with anatomical mismatching (when the rootstock and scion tissue is not lined up properly), poor grafting technique, adverse weather conditions and poor hygiene.
These foods might include ice cream, jello, cold soups, and pudding. After a couple of days, you can try warmer foods. Don't put anything in your mouth that is too hot- such as that amazing pepperoni pizza you always burn your mouth on. You need to eat soft foods for at least a week after a gum graft.
As most surgical procedures, gum grafting surgery implicates risk of infection, bleeding, and reaction to anesthesia. Besides, severe pain, bone rejection, inflammation, swelling, nerve injury, bacterial exposure of wounds, loose sutures, uneven healing, and more…
Pinhole Surgical Technique
Next, your periodontist uses special instruments to loosen your gums and move them back to the appropriate position. This procedure has gained popularity due to it being far less invasive than traditional gum grafting, which in turn makes the recovery time significantly faster.
For patients who are not using donor grafting material, the healing process typically takes around 7-10 days, although most pain and discomfort should begin to alleviate and disappear within 2-4 days.
You will know that the graft is healing when the swelling subsides and the soft tissues are shrinking. Your gum tissue will begin binding to the root surface and bone.
If a dental patient has been diagnosed with gum disease, then they must have their gum disease treated before they can be considered a candidate. If a gum graft is performed on unhealthy gums, then it is likely that the procedure will fail. Good gum health is essential to a successful gum grafting.
Expect the 3rd or 4th day after the surgery to be the worst in swelling. Do not be alarmed if you have swelling at this time, it is normal. By the 5th day, the swelling should be down. For bruising and swelling you may go to any health food store (i.e. Whole Foods) and get some Arnica Montana.
Endothelial graft rejection is the most common, whereas isolated stromal rejection is rare. In general, stromal involvement indicates a strong immune response; if it is not treated at an early stage, this can result in severe rejection episodes and graft loss caused by stromal necrosis.
Graft survival rates at 1 and 5 years were 98.9% and 68.5%, respectively, which was significant when rejection type was considered (P = . 002). In addition, patient survival rates at 1 and 5 years were 99.7% and 98.6%, respectively.
WHAT DOES A FAILED SKIN GRAFT LOOK LIKE? Compromised or failed skin grafts are characterized by continuous pain, numbness, fever, discoloration, redness, swelling, or a breakdown of tissue. The most obvious sign of an unhealthy skin graft is darkening skin that lacks the pink appearance of healthy skin.
Gum grafts fail (in some cases) because post-treatment instructions weren't followed but they can also fail for many other reasons too. Gum grafts have a higher failure rate in patients that don't always heal well (i.e. due to Diabetes or other immune disorders).
The gum tissue will undergo changes for the next 1-2 weeks. The graft color may change from pink to white. This is NORMAL. Then the color will change to red and then back to pink as the swelling decreases.
Rarely, a patient may develop an infection or the graft will fail to integrate with the existing gum tissue. If you notice any bleeding or other fluid oozing from your surgery site, let your doctor know right away so they can begin treatment for a possible infection. If your graft fails, you may require re-treatment.
It's never too late to seek treatment for gum disease, and the degree of treatment you require will depend on how advanced it is.
Getting gum grafts can restore the way your gums look, giving you a healthy-looking smile. They will also protect your gums from bacteria and acid attacks. If your teeth had become sensitive because the roots were exposed and a cavity had started, the gum graft surgery should stop the sensitivity.
If you use your own tissue, the most teeth you can typically graft at once would probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of 7-8 teeth. With alloderm, you could graft every single tooth in your mouth in one sitting!