What is a gum graft?
A gum graft is a procedure includes, taking an approximately 1.5 mm thickness piece of tissue obtained usually from your palate and is used to cover an exposed root area to treat gum recession and prevent its progression.
Are all gum graft surgeries the same? No, there are two main types:
1. Free gingival grafts: graft harvested from the superficial part of your palatal tissue (roof of your mouth).
It’s usually done when your gum recession is severe and difficult to obtain full root coverage.
Instead we use this piece of tissue to increase the thickness of the gum tissue around the recession area to prevent any further recession, sometimes we can gain 1-‐2mm of root coverage.
2. Connective tissue graft: tissue harvested from the underlying tissue below your palatal
mucosa (roof of your mouth). A trap door like flap is created in the palate to obtain the connective tissue that is rich with blood supply and young cells, usually its done in cases aiming to fully cover the exposed root surface.
What are the benefits of gum graft surgery?
A gum graft can reduce further recession, also it protects root surface from any damage as decay and root sensitivity. Most patients get the treatment for esthetic reasons, but having the gum graft will give you the benefit of both esthetic and healthy tissue.
Do all gum grafts improve esthetic?
No, when the gum recession is severe our goal is primarily gaining a healthy thick gingival tissue around your tooth to prevent any future progression, this can be achieved by doing a free gingival graft which is not esthetic procedure as you will end with a more pinkish color tissue than the surrounding gum tissue in the recession area, usually it is done it the lower jaw or back teeth were it is less visible.
GUM GRAFT PROCEDURE
Is it a painful procedure?
The procedure will be done under local anesthetic, there will be pain and discomfort after surgery from the donor and the recipient site during the healing process and often this can be controlled with painkillers.
Are gum grafts successful?
No guarantee, usually success depends on number of factors, failure increase in smokers, immune-compromised patients or patients under certain drugs as bisphosphonates, all mentioned may increase the risk of infection that can end with graft failure.
What happens if the graft fails?
We remove the infected graft in most cases antibiotics are given followed by another graft procedure after recovery.
Is there any other way to avoid taking the graft from my palate?
Yes, we sometimes use Alloderm, especially in cases with multiple recessions need to be covered.
Alloderm dehydrated sterile tissue donated from human cadaver skin, its successful. However there is slight higher risk of infection than connective tissue graft and it is expensive