Getting gum surgery at your periodontist in Rochester may be necessary to protect both oral health and your smile. Receding gums happen gradually slowly exposing more of the tooth root. When this happens, it can lead to bone loss in the supporting bone. It can also affect the look of your smile.
If your gums are receding, your dentist or periodontist may suggest having a gum graft. Gum grafting prevents your teeth from becoming loose and decayed due to gum recession. It’s a safe and effective procedure that can give you your smile back.
What is a Gum Graft?
A gum graft is a form of periodontal surgery that takes part of a healthy gum from the roof of your mouth and grafts it onto an area where the gum is receding. It’s similar to a skin graft, only it uses gum tissue. Once healed, the newly grafted gum tissue protects your teeth and restores your healthy smile.
Gums protect the tooth from bacteria, so healthy gums are essential for maintaining oral health.
Why Might I Need a Gum Graft?
Periodontists carry out gum grafts to help prevent decay from periodontal disease. But you may also opt for a gum graft for cosmetic reasons. Let’s examine both reasons.
Periodontal Disease Gingival Gum Grafts
Gum recession is the main reason for gum graft treatment. Our gums often recede slowly due to a buildup of plaque and tartar. Aggressive brushing can also damage gums over time.
If the root surface of your tooth becomes exposed, it may result in hypersensitivity to hot and cold food and liquids.1 Your teeth may also become loose since there’s less gum tissue to hold them in place, and the supporting bone may be compromised.
Unfortunately, periodontal disease can go undetected until it’s too late. The main symptoms to look out for are:
- Red and swollen gums
- Bleeding gums
- Receding gums
- Loose and wobbly teeth
If you spot any of these signs, you’ll need to visit your Rochester periodontist for gum surgery.
Cosmetic Gum Grafts
Occasionally, the continuous wearing of braces or an injury to the mouth can damage gums needing gum grafts to repair the damage.
What to Expect from a Gum Graft Procedure
There are three different types of gum graft procedures. Your periodontist will talk you through which procedure is best for your dental needs. A local anesthetic is administered before treatment to make the procedure as painless as possible.
Free Gingival Graft
This procedure works well in non-aesthetic areas. Tissue is taken from the roof of your mouth and stitched onto the thinning gum area, giving your gums extra gum tissue to stay healthy.
Connective Tissue Graft
With this procedure, your periodontist creates a small flap in the roof of your mouth to extract a small amount of connective tissue. The periodontist then grafts the tissue onto the area where the gum has receded.
Pedicle Graft
If you have lots of tissue growing near the exposed tooth, this is likely to be the optimal procedure for you. The periodontist partially removes some tissue from the gums near the tooth. Then, the tissue is stretched down over the exposed area of the tooth and stitched in place.
How Long Does It Take to Recover After a Gum Graft?
Your periodontist will talk you through all the aftercare requirements before and after your gum graft.
You should not experience pain during the procedure. However, you may experience a little pain and discomfort for a few days after. You can use over-the-counter medications to ease the pain, and your mouth should heal within a couple of weeks.
You’ll need to schedule a follow-up appointment with your periodontist to check the healing process and remove any stitches.
There are a few ways you can aid the healing process:
- Avoid brushing the gum graft area
- Avoid smoking or using other tobacco products
- Eat chilled soft foods to help with inflammation
- Avoid strenuous exercise
- Follow the aftercare instructions given by your periodontist
Your periodontist will also prescribe some antibiotics to prevent infection.
If you feel any severe pain or notice any bleeding, it’s always best to contact your periodontist as soon as possible.
A Professional And Caring Approach To Gum Surgery, Rochester
Contact the caring team at Dental Implants and Periodontal Health of Rochester if you suffer from receding gums and tooth pain. Dr. Zahavi is a board-certified periodontal surgeon who focuses on individualized care to address every aspect of your health, comfort, and aesthetics.
Your oral health affects your overall well-being – stay healthy and book your appointment today. 585.685.2005
Sources
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23283584/