Gum Tissue Grafting for Recession

Gum recession can happen for many reasons including brushing too hard ,using a hard instead of soft tooth brush, misaligned teeth or just areas of thin gum tissue.

The biggest problem with gum recession is that as the gums move away, so does the bone that supports the teeth. This starts out slow, but progresses rapidly once it reaches a certain point. Recession eliminates the firm tissue that is tight up against the tooth and instead exposes a soft “flabby” type of tissue that is easily damaged. Replacing this firm, tough tissue is called Gum Tissue Grafting. It allows us to thicken and toughen up the receding gums and make the area resistant to more recession.

Traditionally tissue for this procedure came from the roof of your mouth and involved a second surgical site and an unpleasant recovery time. Instead, we use donated tissue called an "allograft." It is better because we can work on several teeth at a time instead of just one. The donated tissue is perfectly safe and has no possibility of rejection or disease transmission. It is often used in general surgery and to treat burn victims. It is covered by your own gum tissue and is totally replaced by your own tissues within 6 months.

Gum grafting can help to improve the function and longevity of your teeth, but also give you a more attractive smile and improved periodontal health.