Gum graft is an oral surgery that is usually performed to stop or cover the symptoms (if possible) of a gum recession. can either be a necessary procedure for your oral health or can be done for cosmetic reasons. It is a short and straightforward procedure in which a periodontal specialist uses a healthy gum tissue from the patient's mouth to rebuild the recessed gum.
Gum recession is a common periodontal problem that leaves the tooth vulnerable and exposed and usually causes a spectrum of periodontal problems from sensitivity to tooth loss.
Different types of gum graft surgery can be applied in accordance to the patients needs. Most prevalent types of gum grafts are:
Being the most common type of grafting, connective tissue graft is applied mainly for patients whose gum recession is not severe enough to require other types of gum grafting operations to be performed. It is performed by removing a piece of connective tissue from a flap opened at the palate of the patients mouth and it being transferred into the area where it is needed. This type of gum grafting operation produces the most visually appealing results as it matches in color with adjacent tissue, and produces the best root coverage. For this reason, it is preferred mostly for cosmetic purposes.
Free gingival graft is a procedure applied for patients with more severe conditions. It is performed by removing a piece of tissue from the palatal (top) layer of the mouth which is stitched to the area that has gum recession. This type of grafting is applied for patients whose gums are very thin to stop further recession and potential future medical conditions that may be connected to it. This type of grafting makes the area withstand high friction and high - low temperatures, which may be giving the patient discomfort during eating and drinking hot or cold drinks.
This procedure is preferred for people who have enough gum tissue adjacent to the recession site to be used for covering the area with recession. On this procedure, the periodontist will first harvest the required gum from around the recession site on both sides, with one edge still intact, then stretch them to cover the exposed area and stitch them together. This graft has the highest success rate due to the blood flow not being cut from any part of the mouth.
Following the operation, you will be allowed to go home. The amount of pain may vary regarding the type of your graft, where exactly has it extracted, the sedatives that used. Your dentist will provide particular postoperative care recommendations, following and applying them properly would drastically reduce the required time for healing and provide you a smooth healing process, after all they are aimed to prevent any unwanted complications.