What you should know before getting a gum graft for receding gums and tooth sensitivity
- A gum graft is a procedure that is used to fix receding gums that can cause tooth sensitivity.
- Your gums are receding if they look like they have pulled back and exposed more of your teeth.
- During a gum graft procedure, healthy tissue from inside your mouth is grafted onto your receding gumline.
If you look in the mirror and your teeth appear to be longer than usual or your gum appears to be unusually small and extra sensitive, then your gum might be receding and you might need a gum graft.
A gum graft is an extensive dental procedure used to fix gum recession. It's performed by a periodontist, who is a dentist that specializes in treating conditions that affect the gum. Here's what you need to know about what a gum graft is and what to expect from the procedure.
What is a gum graft?
A gum graft is a dental procedure primarily used to fix gum recession, and stop you from losing more gum tissue. It involves grafting new gum tissue to the part of your mouth where the gum is receding.
During a gum graft procedure, a dentist will remove tissue from the roof of your mouth or a part of your mouth with healthy gum tissue and attach it to the part of your mouth where the gum has receded.
What is gum recession?
Your gum is receding if you can see that it has visibly pulled back. In some cases, it might have even started to expose the root of your teeth. If the recession isn't stopped, your teeth become more susceptible to decay and you could eventually lose them.
If your gum is receding one or more of these situations might be the reason:
- Brushing your teeth aggressively and improperly
- Gum disease
- Having tongue and lip piercings
- Poor oral hygiene
- Age
- Genetics
- Smoking and tobacco use
There are three main types of gum grafting procedures:
- Free gingival graft: Tissue is removed from the top palate of the roof of your mouth and attached to the area where your gum is thinning.
- Pedicle graft: Here healthy gum tissue is removed from a site close to the receding gum tissue and used to cover the recession.
- Connective tissue graft: A small flap is opened in the roof of your mouth, some connective tissue is then taken from underneath the flap and grafted onto the recession.
A gum graft procedure can cost anything between hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on the extent of your recession, how much graft you'll need, and if you'll be needing tissue from a donor.
What to expect during the gum graft procedure
Gum graft procedures typically follow the following steps, says Leena Palomo, DDS, MSD, a professor of periodontics at Case Western Reserve University.
- You are first sedated so you don't feel pain. A variety of anesthesia options from twilight sedation to local anesthetic are available depending on your needs.
- Once you are comfortable, and your periodontist is sure you won't feel any pain, the gingiva to be grafted is harvested either from another part of the mouth. It can also be gotten from a donor, if you don't have tissue that can be grafted.
- This gingiva is then attached to the area of the gum that is receding. Underneath the surface, new cells are working hard to heal. Although you might feel back to normal in just over a week, the cells underneath continue to work and grow, the cells continue to generate even up to a year after surgery.
A gum graft is an outpatient procedure which means in most cases, you won't be kept overnight. However, if you drove to the procedure, you should make arrangements for someone else to take you home. This is because the effect of your sedation might not have completely worn off.
Gum graft recovery
After the procedure, you need to take care to keep the site of the grafting undisturbed. Many of your eating and lifestyle habits will be altered until your gum heals properly.
Eating hard foods like apples and corn is discouraged. Before you go in for your procedure, it's a good idea to stock up on foods that will be easy on your gums and won't affect your healing process.
The following foods are great examples of foods to eat after getting a gum graft procedure:
- Oatmeal
- Avocado
- Mashed potatoes
- Eggs
You'll also be given a list of post-operative instructions by your periodontist. It's important to follow these instructions so your gum graft can heal swiftly and properly. The most common things you'll be asked to do include:
- Not to brush or floss the grafted area until it's properly healed
- To use a fluoride mouthwash daily, to prevent plaque build-up and infections
- If there's swelling, you'll be asked to use a cold compress against your face to reduce the swelling
- Avoid foods you have to chew for at least 24 hours after the procedure
- Not to participate in taxing physical activities until you have healed properly
- Not to eat hard, spicy or hot foods that can irritate your graft as it heals
After the procedure, you can expect the grafted gum to heal in a few weeks. You shouldn't expect to see results immediately, as the newly grafted gum needs time to heal properly. The graft may appear a different color at first , but it should blend into your natural gum color over time.
"Although the gingival recession defect is immediately visible after the surgery, most people are discouraged from disturbing the site for the first few weeks. Within the first month you can see your new beautiful smile and enjoy restored function," says Palomo.
You might also be prescribed some antibiotics to help prevent infections and over-the-counter or prescription painkillers depending on the extensiveness of your procedure and how much pain you might be in.
Insider's takeaway
A gum graft is a necessary dental procedure for people who are experiencing gum recession. Getting a gum graft prevents the tissue from continuing to recede and exposing the root of your teeth which can lead to tooth decay.
There are different types of gum graft procedures, but they all follow the same basic steps, which are removing healthy tissue from either the roof of your mouth or a healthy gum and attaching it to the thinning tissue.
Speak to your periodontist to find out which procedure is best for you. They'll be able to make an informed decision based on the extent of your recession and any other personal needs you have.