Understanding Gum Tissue Grafts

Dentist Blog

If you have experienced pain or sensitivity in your teeth when consuming something cold or hot, it is because you are suffering from gum recession. Most people ignore this pain and end up losing their teeth when the recession advances. There is a corrective procedure that your family dentist can undertake to save you from the discomfort and/or the misery of losing a tooth eventually. The different gum graft procedures available are explained below:

Connective-Tissue Graft

A connective-tissue graft is an operation where your dentist will cut a piece of skin from the roof of your mouth. Once the flap of skin has been cut, the dentist harvests tissues from the skin and stitch those tissues on the exposed tooth. Your dentist then returns the flap of skin to the roof of your mouth-palate. This surgery is conducted where the recession of the gum is not too severe to require a lot of tissue to repair.

Free Gingival Grafts

In free gingival grafts, your dentist does not cut off a piece of skin from your palate. In this procedure, the dentist harvests tissue from the roof of your mouth directly. This procedure is normally done if you have thin gums necessitating more tissue to enlarge your gums. The procedure, like most surgeries, will require your dentist to administer an anaesthetic. Your dentist also has to reduce the bone tissue under your tooth since it may stimulate your gum to grow over your tooth.

Pedicle Grafts

In this procedure, your dentist will not harvest tissue from the roof of your mouth. The dentist grafts tissue from gum that surrounds the affected tooth. The doctor then cuts a piece of your gum and pulls it so that it covers the root of the affected tooth. Once the root of the tooth is completely covered, the flap of gum is sewn on permanently.

Tissue Bank

The surgical procedures involved in treating gum recession involve slicing skin from your mouth to the affected tooth. It however should be a relief to you to learn that dentists often prefer to utilise tissue from a tissue bank. Due to the need, in some cases, to use tissue stimulants to encourage your body to naturally grow bone and tissue, your dentist may opt for tissue from a tissue bank.

It goes without saying that you should not disregard tooth sensitivity however minimal, for this is the early sign of gum recession. Remember that your dentist is able to remedy the discomfort long before it progresses and costs you more in terms of resources and time. For more information, visit a dental clinic like Hopkins Street Dental.

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20 January 2015