Gum Graft (Soft Tissue Graft)

What Is a Gum Graft?

A gum graft is a dental procedure that restores your gum health by stopping gum recession. Gum recession is a side effect of gum disease that leads to loose teeth, infections and tooth decay. Receding gums also are unsightly.

After a thorough examination, Dr. Victoria Kushensky, your Bronx, NY family dentist at Hutchinson Metro Dental may recommend other procedures before gum grafting. If you have tooth pain for example, you may need a filling or a root canal. Since Dr. Kushensky also practices cosmetic dentistry, your appearance plays a role in any recommended treatment.

Signs of Gum Recession

When you or your Bronx, NY dentist catches receding gums early, the condition is easily reversed. The early stages of gum disease, called gingivitis, can lead to gum recession, but you may not notice the beginning signs. You need to maintain bi-annual checkups and professional cleanings to allow your the Bronx, New York dentist to monitor your gum health.

Signs of gum recession include:

• Long teeth. When your teeth begin looking longer than normal, it could be because of gum recession.
• Loose teeth. As your gums recede, the hold they have on your teeth becomes weaker, which eventually leads to tooth loss. The condition progresses quickly, so you can lose teeth in a short time.
• Sensitivity. As your gum line drops, the roots of your teeth are exposed, making them vulnerable to the extreme temperatures of food and beverages. You may experience sharp pain whenever you eat or drink anything cold or hot.

If you don’t practice good oral health habits, you may not even notice these symptoms.

Other, more noticeable signs of gum recession include:

• Red or purple gums that are often swollen
• Gums that are tender to the touch
• Bleeding gums
• Unexplained bad breath

Causes of Gum Recession

Periodontitis is a serious gum disease that affects the health of your gums and teeth. The disease starts gradually, becoming more prevalent in people who aren’t stringent about their dental hygiene. As the bacterial infection goes deeper, your gum line starts to recede.

While improper oral hygiene is the main culprit in the development of gum disease and recessive gums, other risks include:

• A hereditary gene that exists in 30 percent of Americans
• Brushing too vigorously with a hard-bristled toothbrush
• Changing estrogen levels in women
• Chewing tobacco or smoking
• Grinding or clenching your teeth
• Crooked or misaligned teeth

How Gum Grafting Works

Your gum tissue doesn’t always grow back on its own, which is why Dr. Victoria Kushensky, who serves all of Bronx, NY, may recommend gum graft surgery. To ease your discomfort, Dr. Kushensky uses a local numbing agent on the area. Heavier forms of anesthesia are available if you need it.

The procedure can be accomplished in three different ways:

1. A connective tissue graft uses a flap of tissue taken from the roof of your mouth. This connective tissue is fastened over the exposed roots with a few small stitches.
2. A free gingival graft reinforces gum tissues that have merely thinned with tissues from your palate.
3. A pedicle graft uses healthy gum tissue next to the area where the tooth root is showing. The tissue has to be healthy and thick enough to be rotated and stitched over the affected gums.

Laser Gum Treatment

Laser treatment for gingivitis is an effective and less painful way to protect your teeth. It directly attacks the bacteria and surrounding decayed tissue. This procedure limits bleeding and swelling in your gums and promotes a shorter healing time.

Prior to getting laser treatment for gingivitis, you may need to have your teeth repaired if damaged. But once you’re ready, your family dentist uses a minimally invasive laser technique to eliminate any gum infection without complications.

Benefits of gum treatment with a customized laser include:

• A focused energy beam to provide better accuracy
• More preservation of healthy tissue and bone
• Stimulation of stem cells, which promote healing

If you don’t get laser gum treatment, one of the other procedures that targets gingivitis is a deep cleaning Combined with root scaling, this procedure triggers gum tissue to regenerate. You may need sedation dentistry to bear it, as it can be an uncomfortable procedure.

Gum Graft Recovery

Your mouth will be sore and numb for a few days. As the swelling dissipates, you may feel some discomfort. Pain medications and antibiotics provided by Dr. Victoria Kushensky in Bronx, NY make your recovery tolerable.

For the first few days, you should avoid:

• Drinking and eating hot, cold or hard-to-chew foods
• Brushing the grafted area or using a mouthwash on the day of the surgery
• Pulling your cheeks to look at the wound
• Placing a gauze on the wound instead of beside it

While Dr. Kushensky prefers that you maintain your oral health with bi-annual check-ups, a gum graft is sometimes necessary to repair your smile and save your natural teeth. To determine if you need gum grafting, contact the experts at Hutchinson Metro Dental for all of Bronx, NY.