Gum Grafting and Recession Treatment

Protect Your Teeth from Gum Recession With a Graft

If your gums begin pulling away from your teeth, it can lead to several complications that can be uncomfortable, cosmetically unappealing, or result in tooth decay and loss. Fortunately, gum recession is treatable.

North Mississippi Periodontics and Implant Dentistry has more than 30 years of experience in gum grafts and other procedures that treat gum recession. We can restore your smile and promote good dental health by using state-of-the-art techniques to replace lost tissue with good tissue that covers the roots of your teeth. To schedule your appointment, please call us today.

An Overview of Gum Grafting

In brief, gum recession is when your gums get too close to the roots of your teeth and pull away from the dental material. This can leave your teeth feeling more sensitive, and it can cause them to look big or uneven. It can lead to swollen, bleeding gums, and if left untreated, it can lead to tooth decay and loss.

We offer several exceptional options for treating gum recession.

• Pinhole Surgical Technique™ (PST) — This is an incision-free procedure in which Dr. Robertson makes a very small hole and uses special instruments to loosen your gum tissue and put it back in place. It's minimally invasive and does not result in the pain, bleeding, or swelling that's part of traditional gum surgery. There are no incisions or sutures, so healing is quick. You get results you can see right away, and we can treat multiple teeth in a single visit.
• Free gingival gum graft — This procedure is effective for patients who have very thin gums. Dr. Robertson will take tissue from the roof of your mouth and sew it to the receding gums to create a longer gum line.
• Pedicle gum graft — If you have enough healthy tissue near the gum recession area, Dr. Robertson can create a small flap (a pedicle), pull it up over the tooth root, and sew it in place.
• Connective-tissue gum graft — We use this procedure quite often to cover an exposed root surface. Dr. Robertson uses AlloDerm tissue to avoid taking tissue from other areas in your mouth and puts it in place to cover the exposed root and correct the cosmetic appearance.

Dr. Robertson will be glad to work with you to determine which treatment may be most effective for your condition. Call our office today to schedule your appointment.

Gum Graft Recovery

Gum graft is a form of minor surgery, and care must be taken to ensure a healthy, speedy recovery. We'll provide you with complete instructions at the time of your treatment, but the list below addresses the highlights.

• A pain reliever may be necessary. Over-the-counter pain relievers are effective for most patients, and prescription medications are available if needed.
• Do not brush or floss until your gum graft has healed.
• Use a prescribed mouthwash to control plaque.
• Consume only soft foods for about a week, such as shakes, eggs, yogurt, gelatin, pasta, etc.).