Gum Grafting You may have gotten news recently that is disconcerting. You have been told that you have periodontal disease, which is also called gum disease. Gum disease means that you have an infection in your gums. Gum disease is a serious issue. It causes your gums to recede. If gum disease is in stage three, which is the most serious stage, you may have lost a tooth or two. While gum disease is serious, there is hope for patients who are suffering from the effects of the disease. We can fix some of the damage done by gum disease. One of the ways we can help restore some of your gum tissue is through a gum graft. If you think you might be a good candidate, keep reading. Fay Periodontal Associates can give you information about gum grafts. What Causes Gum Recession?The main reason gums recede is from gum disease. Gum disease affects millions of Americans each year. While many people have gum disease, you are at a greater risk of gum disease if you use tobacco products. People with diabetes also have gum disease in greater numbers than people without diabetes. You may also have gum disease if you have not maintained good oral hygiene. People also get gum disease from overbrushing, or from bruxism, which means that you clench or grind your teeth at night. Some research has indicated that if you have a tongue or lip piercing, you are at a higher risk for gum disease. What Are Gum Grafts?Before we can do anything to restore your gums, we have to thoroughly clean and treat your gums, so that you don’t have an infection. You will need a few weeks to heal from your treatment. Once we treat your gum disease, we can begin to ready your gums for a gum graft, which will graft tissue onto your gums. We use three types of gum grafts that we can use to restore your gums. One type of grafts that we do for our patients are called connective tissue grafts. Connective tissue grafts are very common. Connective tissue grafts begin when we use tissue from another area of your mouth - usually the upper palate - as a part of your graft. When we remove the tissue from the upper palate, we use the tissue as a graft on your gums by stitching the tissue over the gums that are receding. Another type of gum graft that we do is called a gingival graft. Gingival grafts are donated graft tissue from another person. We used gingival grafts when we have patients who need a large amount of tissue for the gum grafts. Sometimes we do pedicle grafts as well. We use the tissue from a pedicle graft and we stretch the tissue over the area we need to graft. Gum grafts are amazing for our patients, because they allow them to keep your gums intact, which can save your teeth and gums, as well as your jawbone. Have questions about gum grafts? Give Fay Periodontal Associates a call at (913) 268-9300. |
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