Gum recession can affect anyone at any age, although certain genetic, health, and lifestyle factors can speed up the thinning and loss of gum tissue. Over-brushing, poor oral hygiene, smoking, and many other habits can cause gum recession. And over time, you may experience symptoms as the roots of the teeth become exposed.
Unfortunately, once the gums have started to recede, there’s no turning back. Receded gums don’t grow back. But just because they don’t grow back doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. Periodontists in Etobicoke can treat gum recession and restore healthy gums through gum grafting.
Are you experiencing gum recession? In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of gum grafting. Find out how your periodontist performs this procedure, and how it treats gum recession.
What is gum grafting?
Gum grafting is a surgical technique performed by a periodontist to treat gum recession. This treats gums that have receded due to gum disease, aggressive brushing, injuries, poor oral hygiene, smoking, and other related factors.
Typically, your periodontist will take healthy tissue in another part of the mouth and graft or attach it onto the area where your gums have receded.
- Connective tissue graft: Your periodontist will create a flap or incision in the roof of the mouth to access tissue underneath and harvest it
- Gingival graft: Your periodontist will simply take tissue from the outermost layer of the roof of the mouth
- Pedicle graft: Your periodontist will take gum tissue from adjacent teeth and pull it over the exposed area. This type of graft is recommended if you have enough gum tissue close to the area where the gums have receded
- Donor graft: If you don’t have sufficient tissue inside your mouth, your periodontist will recommend a donor graft, typically from a cadaver.
By attaching healthy tissue where you need it, gum grafting covers up exposed roots of the teeth and restores a healthy gum line.
Benefits of Gum Grafting
As you’ve seen, gum grafting can do wonders for your gum line, smile, and overall oral health. If your periodontist recently recommended the procedure, it’s also a good time to look at its many benefits to help guide your decision.
Here are the top benefits of gum grafting:
1. Prevent worsening gum recession
Unfortunately, receded gums cannot grow back; however, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything you can do to prevent this from worsening.
Gum grafting can keep your gum line from further receding and avoid further damage to your teeth and jawbone. Since gum grafting covers up exposed tooth surfaces and roots, it eliminates bacteria that has accumulated in the affected area and prevents infection. Having new, healthy gum tissue can prevent inflammation and recurrence of gum recession.
2. Stronger, more stable teeth
When the gums recede, they enlarge the visible surfaces of the teeth, eventually exposing the roots. This can destabilize affected teeth, causing them to feel “wiggly” or loose, since there is a lack of gum tissue to help secure them in place. Exposed roots are also more prone to harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay.
Gum grafting treats this by attaching new tissue in the area, keeping teeth stable. In doing so, gum grafting also helps prevent tooth decay and tooth loss. Over time, the roots of the teeth are protected again and regain their strength.
3. Prevent plaque buildup
As mentioned above, gum recession wears down the protective layers around the teeth. A lack of healthy gum tissue can cause plaque to build up under the gum line and even reach the roots of the teeth. Over time, plaque buildup can cause cavities and tooth decay, leading to painful treatments, such as tooth extraction.
But when treated early on with gum grafting, you can prevent cavities and tooth decay caused by gum recession. Your periodontist can perform gum grafting to eliminate and prevent further plaque buildup. Gum grafting will help keep your teeth strong and healthy in the long run.
4. Reduced tooth sensitivity
Wondering what it means when gum recession exposes the roots of the teeth? When gum recession progresses this far, the nerve endings in the teeth are also exposed, causing them to be more sensitive to various stimuli. This leads to one of the most common symptoms of gum recession: tooth sensitivity to hot and cold food and drinks.
If you experience this symptom, your periodontist in Etobicoke will likely recommend gum grafting to restore receded gums and cover up exposed roots. Gum grafting can restore the proper thickness of your gum line, and alleviate sensitivity. Once the graft is fully healed, you’ll be able to enjoy ice cream, hot coffee, and other hot and cold food and drinks.
5. A healthier, more beautiful smile
By now, you’ve seen a lot of the oral health benefits of gum grafting. But did you know that it can also improve the appearance of your smile?
Gum recession may cause your smile to appear “toothy” or your teeth longer and bigger. But since gum grafting covers up exposed roots and reduces the visible surfaces of the teeth, it can also restore a healthy gum-to-tooth ratio. Gum grafting can make your smile appear more balanced, while alleviating symptoms such as bleeding, swollen, and uneven gums.
Book Your Gum Grafting Surgery at Periodontal Associates
And there you have it—those are the top benefits of gum grafting. As you’ve seen, gum grafting can have a lasting impact on both the health and appearance of your smile. And the best part? It typically uses tissue already found inside your mouth, which significantly reduces the risk of infection and rejection. Plus, when repaired gums are properly cared for, the graft can last a long time and prevent gum recession from recurring.
With all of these benefits, it’s easy to see why gum grafting is the most widely recommended treatment for gum recession. At Periodontal Associates, our team of board certified and highly experienced periodontists in Etobicoke can perform gum grafting and quickly treat gum recession. With our periodontists, you can count on a safe and comfortable gum grafting surgery in Etobicoke.
Still weighing the benefits of gum grafting? Ask our periodontists in Etobicoke all the questions you have, and schedule your gum grafting surgery today.
