Gum grafts are a procedure to address receded gums. Boiled down to their essentials, gum grafts involve using tissue from elsewhere to supplement the existing tissue in your gums and around the roots of your teeth. The tissue relocated to your gums may come from elsewhere in your mouth, elsewhere on your gums, or even from a tissue bank.
What are receding gums?
Receding gums are when the gum tissue that normally surrounds and seals your teeth pulls back or shrinks from the base and roots of your teeth. As the gums recede, more and more of your tooth is exposed. Eventually, even the roots of your teeth are exposed. The farther that your gums recede, gaps called pockets may develop between your teeth and gums. Over time, bacteria and food particles will accumulate in those pockets and expose your teeth, roots, and gums to tooth decay — or accelerated tooth decay.
Gum recession can happen so gradually that you may not notice it until it’s been happening for quite some time. The most common indications that you do have receded gums are tooth sensitivity, the perception that your teeth have gotten longer, and the presence of a notch along your gum line. The most common causes of receding gums are periodontal disease (gum disease), brushing your teeth too aggressively, poor dental hygiene that allows tartar to accumulate on your teeth, hormonal changes, smoking, grinding your teeth, and crooked teeth.
Unless resolved, receding gums and the development or acceleration of tooth decay can severely undermine the health of your teeth and gums and even eventually lead to your teeth falling out.
What are the various types of gum grafting in Los Angeles?
In its mildest form, receding gums can be treated and reversed by tooth scaling and root planing. Scaling and planing remove plaque and tartar that have accumulated on your teeth and the roots of your teeth below your gum line. A periodontist near you may also prescribe antibiotics to protect you from lingering bacterial infections. If scaling and planning are unsuccessful in treating your receding gums, or if your gum recession has gone too far to be treated that way, there are three types of surgical options that may be required.
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A connective tissue graft removes tissue from the roof of your mouth after a flap is cut into the upper palate. That tissue is then placed around the exposed root of the teeth affected by your receding gums and stitched to your existing gum tissue. The flap made on the roof of your mouth is also stitched closed.
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Free gingival grafts involve taking tissue directly from the roof of your mouth (without cutting any flap that may need to be stitched), which will be stitched to your existing gums.
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Pedicle or lateral grafts take gum tissue from elsewhere in your mouth, then relocate that tissue to the location of receding gums, where that tissue will be stitched to supplement your receded gums.
What are the benefits of gum graft surgery?
Gum grafting near you can prevent your gums from receding further and prevent the ultimate loss of bone matter and teeth that can occur if receding gums are not addressed. The placement of gum tissue around the exposed roots of teeth can also reduce or eliminate tooth sensitivity caused by receding gum. Quite apart from those important health-related issues, successful gum grafting by a periodontist in Los Angeles can significantly improve the aesthetic appearance of your mouth and gums by restoring healthy tissue and eliminating deepening pockets in your gums.
Do your teeth seem to be getting longer or more sensitive? Have you noticed a notch at your gum line? If you’ve been experiencing these symptoms or have any other reason to be concerned about the health of your gums, ask a periodontist in Los Angeles how to improve the health of your gums.