Dental

What Is Gum Grafting, and Who Should Do It?

Dental surgery, known as gum grafting, treats receding gums. This procedure is quick and easy to complete. A periodontist or gum specialist often carries out gum transplant surgery. The palate is taken during this procedure, and the graft is then removed and attached to the receding or raised gum. A dental specialist performing bone grafting in Toronto explains that as more of a tooth’s root is exposed due to the gum tissue losing its elasticity, this condition is known as gingival recession, also known as receding gums, affecting 4 to 12 percent of people. In addition to increasing tooth sensitivity, this incident may result in a deterioration of the root surface and harm to the supporting bone.

Untreated receding gums can result in tooth loss since they are gradual and can go unnoticed until severe. Gum grafting is occasionally done for aesthetic purposes, such as to improve one’s smile or treat prior injuries, and the process is the same in every situation. Read on to discover more about gum graft surgery, including how to get ready, do it, and recover from it.

Types of Gum Transplant Surgery

We have 3 types of gum surgery or gum transplant, which we have briefly introduced below.

  1. Degenerate gum surgery with graft and connective tissue transplant

In this procedure, the gum surgeon makes a flap by slicing into the tissue that covers the roof of the mouth. The tissue behind the flap is then cut out and stitched to the area where the gum has thinned, and the tooth root has to be covered.

  1. Degenerate gingival surgery with free gingival grafting

This procedure is used on patients with thin gums requiring extra tissue to thicken the gums. The periodontist uses this approach to:

It removes the tissue from the mouth’s roof directly from the top layer of tissue.

To thin gums, it adds dissociated tissue.

Dental care

  1. Degenerate gum surgery with pedicle graft (lateral graft)

In this technique for gum surgery, the graft is not taken out of the roof of the mouth but rather placed close to the gum, an incision is made on the gum, and a portion of it is stitched to the tooth whose gum is raised. When there is enough gum tissue covering the nearby teeth, this procedure can be done.

The Recovery Period of Receding Gum Surgery or Gum Transplant Surgery

To recover quickly, pay attention to the following points:

  • Avoid brushing or flossing around the gum transplant site for some time after the gum transplant surgery to treat gingivitis.
  • Prevent the formation of plaque around the operation site by using antibacterial mouthwashes.
  • Take antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection
  • Avoid vigorous exercise
  • Avoid eating hard foods and any food that is hard to chew
  • Instead, eat soft and cool foods
  • Do not smoke

Does Gum Graft Hurt?

You shouldn’t feel pain because an anesthetic is used during the procedure. However, depending on the procedure type, you might feel slight discomfort after the gingivitis treatment. You will feel less pain if a xenograft (from someone else) is used in your procedure. However, if the palate or the roof of the mouth were used as the source for the gum transplant, you would feel more discomfort, but it would only last a few days.

You can resume your normal activities the day after the operation, although the recuperation process often takes one to two weeks.

You can manage any discomfort you have while recovering from a gum transplant by taking over-the-counter painkillers. After the operation, the teeth may also be sensitive to cold or hot food, which is normal and nothing to worry about.

You should see the periodontist multiple times to ensure the graft is bonding properly after the procedure.

The surgery will change the appearance of the gums, but you could notice that they feel smoother and firmer than before. This circumstance is typical as well.