Gum Grafting | Soft Tissue Grafting

If you have receding gums, you might need gum disease treatment. During your regularly scheduled dental exam, our team at Atlas Park Dental looks over your teeth and gums. If we discover you have severely receded gums, you may require surgery in the form of a gum graft.

A gum graft procedure involves taking healthy gum tissue from other areas of your mouth and grafting it onto the places where your gums have pulled back from your teeth. Another popular method is using donor tissue material, and using allografting techniques to build up your gums. Gum grafting is sometimes used as part of a gum contouring procedure.

By repairing your receding gum line, you protect the exposed roots of your teeth while improving your smile. Protecting your teeth contributes to your overall dental health and prevents future problems, including those related to periodontal disease. Improving your smile is a cosmetic dentistry perk that you get from a skilled cosmetic dentist: better health and a less toothy smile.

Types of Gum Graft Surgery

The Atlas Park Dental cosmetic dental office offers different types of gum graft surgery:

• Allografting techniques. This is often used when your dental surgeon needs a larger amount of graft tissue.
• APRF. This technique delivers blood-derived growth factors to speed your recovery.
• Connective tissue graft. Connective tissue is removed from the roof of your mouth and sutured onto the affected area.
• Pedicle/lateral graft. Gum tissue comes from the immediate area and is placed over your receding gums. This works well when you have healthy gum tissue surrounding a receding gum line.
• Free gingival graft. Like a connective tissue graft, the roof of your mouth supplies the tissue, which is grafted to the receding gum line. We also offer advanced options like pinhole surgery for certain cases.

When having gum graft surgery, you’re likely to feel some mild-to-moderate discomfort. But you should be able to resume daily activities the following day. Other temporary side effects from the procedure may include:

• Sensitivity to hot and cold
• Swelling
• Bleeding
• Tenderness

The Gum Grafting Procedure

Our team at Atlas Park Dental performs gum graft surgery in the comfort of our Glendale office. While every case is a bit different, the procedure follows some basic steps:

• You’re made as comfortable as possible.
• A numbing agent is applied to the area of injection.
• A local anesthetic is injected to the areas of tissue grafting.
• If you’re undergoing a free gingival graft or a connective tissue graft, your dentist removes the graft tissue once the source area has been sufficiently numbed.
• The graft tissue then is sutured to your gums.
• Once the procedure is complete, an antibacterial rinse cleans and soothes your mouth.
• You’re monitored for a period to ensure there are no complications before you’re able to go home.

Complications from the dental surgery are rare. But there are risks with every surgical procedure, no matter how minor. The risks of this surgery include:

• In rare cases, a graft may not adhere. A second surgery may then be necessary.
• Infrequently, the graft doesn’t produce the desired visual result. Your dentist may suggest laser gum surgery to reshape your gums.

Gum Graft Recovery and Aftercare

Follow instructions closely during the healing process. Gum graft recovery can take a few days or a few weeks. Notify your dental team if you have any questions or concerns.

During your gum graft recovery, pay special attention to your dental hygiene regimen. This includes thorough regular brushing and flossing, and in some cases, a deep cleaning may be recommended to ensure optimal gum health before or after the procedure. Your recovery typically includes instructions to:

• Eat a soft foods diet
• Take prescription or over-the-counter medications for pain, as needed
• Avoid any tobacco
• Do not drink any alcohol
• Avoid brushing or flossing for a few days in the affected area for a day
• Do not brush or floss the graft area until after the stitches come out

The Cost of Treatment

The cost of your gum grafting treatment depends on the type of procedure you have. Many insurance plans offset your costs. As is the case with all your oral health care, the cost of taking care of your problem is much less than the costs of letting it worsen through inaction. The longer your tooth roots are exposed, the more pain and complications you encounter.

Atlas Park Dental is conveniently located in Glendale, Queens. The cosmetic and family dentistry practice serves all nearby neighborhoods, including Forest Hills, Middle Village, Rego Park, Ridgewood, Kew Gardens, Elmhurst, Maspeth, Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, and Woodhaven. We also provide a full range of other services, including tooth extraction, Wisdom teeth Extraction, and bone graft procedures. Schedule a consultation today.