Oral health is a complicated matter, since it requires a fine balance of preventive care and hygiene. You may not put as much thought into your gums as you do about your teeth. However, you can develop issues such as your gums receding from your teeth. This can expose their roots and possibly lead to deterioration of other aspects of your health.
Gum recession occurs as the gum tissue is worn away or gets pulled back. Your tooth at this point no longer has the necessary protection and harmful bacteria can develop in this spot. You’ll first notice that you have greater tooth sensitivity. A dentist will be able to tell you if this is happening upon doing an examination, and what the course of treatment should be in order to avoid worsening problems.
Gum grafting is a procedure that usually involves the removal of a small amount of tissue from the patient’s mouth roof to place it on the exposed area of bone or tooth. Gum grafting is meant to be a minimally invasive procedure, though your dentist may numb the area(s) with local anesthesia.
There are various kinds of gum grafting that are done today. This includes the free gingival graft, pedicle or flap graft, and connective tissue graft. Free gingival is the procedure that’s done when the individual has severe gum recession and it involves using donor tissue from the roof of the mouth. Connective tissue graft also involves the roof of the patient’s mouth, but the dentist makes an incision in order to take connective tissue out and place it underneath a lifted flap in the area where it’s needed. Pedicle graft is done when the patient has enough gum tissue in the tooth that’s next to the affected tooth and gum.
In some instances, your dentist may be able to do an alternative technique. They would make an opening in the gums and move receded tissues to where it belongs to cover exposed roots. They also can use some pieces of collagen in between the gums and teeth so that the gum line stays in the new location during the healing process. They will close up the entry point and have you rinse out your mouth with antibacterial mouthwash.
Talk over your options with your periodontal specialist so you can determine what’s going to be the best gum grafting in Idaho Falls technique for your situation.
There are several benefits when it comes to getting a gum graft procedure. Here are just a few of the advantages you should experience after you have gum grafting:
Though there is no way to know for sure exactly how long it will take you to recover from your gum graft surgery, the average time it takes is about one to two weeks. This may take somewhat longer if you have multiple areas treated at the same time. Once your dentist knows what the treatment will be, they’ll be able to give you an approximate time frame for how long this will take.
There are some risks involved with getting gum grafts. Even if you visit a professional who has a great deal of knowledge and experience in this area, there is an incredibly small chance that this procedure will fail.
That being said, it’s a good idea to at least consider this type of surgery. It's important to have a discussion with your dentist about when is it too late for gum grafting so that you know how long you have to make a decision. Even if you aren't a good candidate for this surgery, there are other techniques and procedures that may be possible to improve your gum health and prevent further issues with your overall health. The specialists at Taylorview Dental of Idaho Falls will be able to talk to you about your options and what the course of treatment will look like.
