Gum Grafting

At Periodontal Associates, our certified and highly trained periodontists specialize in performing gum grafting. During your consultation, we will assess the severity of the recession and provide information on how gum grafting is performed. We will also review anesthetic and sedative options to keep you comfortable throughout the procedure.

Once you are comfortable, we will schedule your procedure and start the gum recession treatment tailored to your needs.

• Connective Tissue Grafts: The most common type of gum graft for treating exposed roots. This graft requires removing a flap of skin at the roof of your mouth to access the tissue underneath, called the subepithelial connective tissue. This connective tissue is removed and grafted onto the affected area. Finally, the flap is stitched back down.
• Free Gingival Grafts: This gum graft is similar to the connective tissue graft. However, rather than creating a flap to harvest tissue underneath, a free gingival graft uses the tissue removed directly from the roof of the mouth. Then, this tissue is attached in the area where gum recession has occurred. Free gingival grafts are recommended for people who have thin gums and require additional tissue to restore them.
• Pedicle Grafts: Rather than harvesting tissue from the roof of the mouth, a pedicle graft uses healthy gum tissue close to the affected area. Your periodontist will create a flap, called a pedicle, only partially cutting it so that one end is still attached. Then, they will pull the gum tissue over to the exposed root and sew it in place. Note that pedicle grafts are only recommended for people with a lot of healthy gum tissue near the affected tooth.

While it’s most common to treat gum recession with gum grafts harvested from other parts of the mouth, your periodontist may recommend other sources. An alternative is to use a graft from a tissue bank.

Your periodontist will provide more information on sources of bone grafts. They will recommend the best option based on your specific needs, particularly whether tissue sources in the other parts of your mouth are healthy and sufficient.

Gum grafting is an outpatient periodontal procedure. It takes about one to two weeks to heal. To ensure a smooth and successful recovery, your periodontist will provide post-op instructions concerning sedation, your diet, physical activity, and symptoms to watch out for. Here are some recovery tips to follow.

Immediately After the Gum Graft Surgery

• Don’t Drive: if you are sedated, you will be able to go home and rest once the sedative wears off. However, keep in mind that you should not drive yourself, so make arrangements for someone else to take you home. If you are not sedated and only receive local anesthetic, then you are able to drive yourself home. 
• Oral Hygiene: Avoid brushing and flossing the gum recession treatment area until it has healed. Rinse your mouth with a special mouthwash prescribed by your periodontist to prevent plaque build-up during recovery.
• Take Antibiotics: Depending on the severity of gum recession, your periodontist may prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection.

Over the Next Few Days and Weeks

• Eat a Soft Diet: While your gum graft heals, limit your diet to soft foods to avoid disturbing the site. You can eat eggs, Jell-O, pasta, yogurt, cottage cheese, soft vegetables, ice cream, and other similar foods.
• Pain and Discomfort: It’s normal to experience discomfort after gum grafting. However, if your graft was not taken from the palate (the roof of the mouth), you should experience little to no discomfort. Your periodontist may recommend over-the-counter pain medication to take as needed.