Gum Grafting Procedure | Gum Surgery NYC Periodontist

Gum graft is a plastic periodontal surgery performed to treat the condition of receding gums due to moderate or more severe periodontal disease. Gum grafting can be carried out on gums that have receded, and while it may improve the appearance of a smile to even the size of teeth, more importantly it restores the support and protection that teeth need while preventing (can also protect your teeth against the effects of) further gum recession. Gum recession can be mild, moderate or severe and the sooner you treat it the greater the outcome.

Gum recession occurs when you lose gum tissue around your teeth. Usually, healthy gums fit snugly around teeth, helping to protect them and creating an attractive smile. Receding gums result in more of the tooth being visible to the point that you may even see the roots. This can cause damage to the bone surrounding the tooth. As the tooth roots are exposed, they can feel more sensitive and could become decayed.

Top 3 reasons for gum recession:

• Bacterial induced. Plaque and calculus grows under the gums in the pocket around the root and the body (immune system) has an inflammatory reaction to try to clean it, but it can’t and as result you have gum recession. This is the most common cause of gum recession in the population and very easy to treat in one visit. The affected area tends to have very tender gums, bleeding, pain and sensitivity when you try to brush the area.

  

• Tooth position in the jaw bone. When teeth start shifting due to spacing, crowding, or rotation of teeth, the root shifts out to the jaw bone and causes gum recession. These patients usually don’t have tenderness or bleeding but they are sensitive.

  

• Genetics. These are patients that have severe gum recession throughout their mouth and it progressively gets worse with time. They have no sensitivity and most of the time they have notches in their teeth. This is as a result of occlusion which is your bite. It’s very important to cover the roots and provide more support to slow or stop the progression of gum loss.

  

Lots of people have some degree of receding gums as it is often a side effect of advanced gum disease or periodontal disease. Many people don’t even realize that their gums have receded as it is a gradual process.

Over time the teeth can begin to look longer, and they may begin to feel more sensitive particularly when eating hot and cold foods.

It is important to treat substantial gum recession as otherwise, it could eventually lead to tooth loss, and the gum graft surgery we perform in our Midtown Manhattan, NYC office can help restore lost tissues.

During the gum grafting surgery, your NYC periodontist will make sure you receive plenty of local anesthetic to make the procedure painless, or if needed you can opt for sedation dentistry to help ensure you feel entirely comfortable.

Following a gum graft surgery, the amount of discomfort the patient will feel largely depends on how many teeth were covered and the extent of the coverage, small recession vs large recession. You should feel little to no pain at all. Your NYC periodontist performs all the soft tissue graft with micro surgical instruments which results in less trauma and faster postoperative recovery. Plastic surgery needles and suture are used to aid in faster healing.

Straumann® Emdogain® is enamel matrix derivative. This mixture of natural proteins can induce biological processes. By modulating the wound healing process, Emdogain® induces the regeneration of a functional attachment in periodontal procedures as evidenced by human histological data. It also improves and upregulates wound healing. Your NYC periodontist uses emdogain in most if not all soft tissue procedures to ensure faster healing and proper tissue to root attachment coverage.

Gum graft recovery time is usually quick, taking one to two weeks for your mouth to fully heal. We will give you precise instructions on how to look after the area being treated.

• You shouldn’t brush or floss around the gum line that was treated until the area has healed.
• During this time you will keep your mouth clean using a special mouthwash that helps control plaque during the healing process.
• We might also prescribe antibiotics to help reduce the risk of infection.
• What can you eat after a gum graft? It’s best to stick to soft foods for a week or two after treatment and to avoid eating anything too hot. The source of the gum tissue graft in your mouth should heal relatively quickly, and any discomfort can generally be controlled with prescription pain medication and anti-inflammatory medication.
• You should be able to return to work a day or so after gum graft surgery.

Gum grafting surgery cost largely depends on the type of gum surgery needed and the extent of the gum recession.

People with dental insurance may be able to get all or part of the NYC gum graft surgery covered by their insurers.