Should i have a gum graft

In this procedure, gum tissue is moved over the recession with local tissue rather than being taken from another part of your mouth. For this to work, you need plenty of gum tissue in the areas around your gum recession. Gum grafts can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

You may be able to have the procedure done for free if you have dental insurance as part of an Affordable Care Act plan. Your periodontist will likely recommend that you use an antimicrobial mouthwash for a couple of weeks to prevent infections, plaque buildup on your teeth, or issues with the graft. Brushing or flossing before the area has healed can open the wound or cause an infection. Complications of a gum graft are rare. Infections are uncommon.

But see your doctor right away if you notice any oozing or unexpected bleeding around the graft site. In rare cases, the graft tissue may not properly adapt to the graft site. You may need to have the procedure performed again if this happens. If so, talk with your periodontist about gingivoplasty reshaping of gum tissue. They may be able to modify the tissue to make it look more pleasing to you.

Learn more: Gum disease ». You should be fully healed from a gum graft in one to two weeks. After about two weeks, you should be able to brush and floss again. The two main types of gum graft surgeries are the gingival graft and the connective tissue graft, Paulo Camargo, D. Both procedures involve taking tissue from a donor site on the roof of the mouth and attaching it to a recipient site where recession has occurred—but they do so in slightly different ways.

A connective tissue graft requires your periodontist to open a little flap—a "trap door" as Dr. Camargo calls it—in order to remove a piece from the layer of connective tissue underneath. A gingival graft sometimes called a free gingival graft doesn't require the trap door because this procedure involves taking the tissue from the top layer of the palate.

You're essentially taking "gums from one place and putting it in another place," Dr. Papapanou says. There are a few other options, such as a pedicle graft, in which donor tissue comes from a gum area closer to the recipient area.

And there are grafts that make use of cadaver tissue or porcine tissue collected from pigs , which are generally reserved for more severe cases, Dr. Using the patient's own tissue is always preferable, but not always possible.

If your periodontist needs to cover the gum area of five, six, or seven teeth, for instance, "one would have to harvest half your palate to cover it," he says, so the tissue may need to come from alternate sources. Figuring out which procedure is right for you requires a thorough conversation with your provider, usually a periodontist. They'll take several factors into account, such as the severity of your recession, the extent to which your cheek might pull on the surgical site, and whether or not your gums have receded between your teeth or just on the front, Dr.

Camargo says. In general, patients don't have to do too much before their surgery, although you'll likely have some sort of consultation ahead of time where your periodontist will walk you through the procedure. During that appointment, your periodontist might also collect some sort of documentation of your gum recession for insurance purposes like a photo or two, for example , Dr.

You're going to have a wound in your mouth for at least a week, so it's a good idea to stock up on soft foods more on that in a bit. And, depending on your periodontist, Dr. Camargo says you may also be fitted for a palatal stent, a retainer-like piece of plastic that protects the donor site while you're eating.

The most important thing, though, is to make sure you're addressing the root cause of the recession that necessitated your surgery in the first place, Dr. If you have thin gums or had braces as a teen, there's not much you can do about that. But if you're seeing recession thanks to poor dental hygiene or incorrect or, in my case, overzealous brushing habits, it's crucial to address that before the procedure. This way, you'll be wary of brushing more carefully after your procedure as to not mess with the graft as it's healing and to lower the odds that you'll need another graft in the future.

At this point, you would be able to see the root of the tooth because the gum is no longer covering all of it. Having this surgery can stop the recession from continuing. This surgery can also help prevent you from losing some of the bone and losing the tooth, as well as prevent decay. This surgery offers numerous benefits, which include protecting your mouth health, taking care of sensitivity in the tooth and helping you eat comfortably.

You also might choose to have this procedure for cosmetic reasons so you can feel more positive about your smile. David S. Kao focuses his treatment on you as an individual, and not just on the dental problem. Upon arriving for the procedure, you will be escorted to the procedure room where local anesthesia will be applied to numb the area. In some cases, general anesthesia may be applied instead, especially if you feel anxious and can relax better if unconscious.

Once the sutures are applied, and the graft is secure, you will be asked to rinse your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash. Your periodontist may also ask you to stay for an hour or two to ensure that the graft is successful, and there are no issues.

Just like any dental procedure, the long-term success of gum grafting is in the crucial recovery period. Take the prescribed medications, such as antibiotics and painkillers, as instructed for fast healing.

Stick to a soft diet for the first two weeks of recovery. Opt for soft, cold foods like scrambled or soft-boiled eggs, yogurt, cooked vegetables, cottage cheese, ice cream, and gelatin to avoid damaging the graft.

Avoid hard and hot foods that can burn or irritate the graft. Gum grafting is a highly safe and effective procedure; it has been tested and proven successful in treating countless cases of receding and thinning gums due to aggressive brushing and gum disease.

Still, complications and infections may occur, especially without proper post-op care. Call your periodontist right away for emergencies like oozing or unexpected bleeding around the graft site, swelling, bruising, fever, and pus.

These indicate that the graft did not properly take or adapt to the site and must be re-grafted. Gum grafting is a relatively common and affordable dental procedure. Depending on the size of the graft required to correct the recession, it can range from anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

This cost may be covered in full or at little cost to you by your dental insurance plan, so make sure to check with your insurance provider prior to the procedure. It takes a few weeks to heal and swelling to subside, and during that time the graft will adapt to the area.