The gum grafting consists of covering a dental root that is exposed or of a dental implant. dental implant by means of a soft tissue that is extracted from the patient himself or from an artificial collagen tissue.
Step by step of the gum graft surgery:
- The exposed root surface will be cleaned and polished, then small incisions will be made in the gingival tissue surrounding the tooth.
- Once the recipient site is prepared, the palatal gingival graft is trimmed by opening a window with a single linear incision and the graft is extracted.
- Finally, the gingival graft will be sutured to the tooth with the gingival recession.
The gum graft usually heals in 5 to 14 days (when the stitches are removed) and matures in 4 to 6 weeks.
*Gum graft surgery does not usually hurt because the intervention is under the effects of local anesthesia so you do not notice any discomfort.
Care after gingival graft surgery
- Specialist will prescribe treatment with corticosteroids and analgesics.
- Clean the area with a surgical brush after 24-48 h.
- Do not use rinses for the first 48 hours.
Complications of gingival grafting
The main complication is tissue necrosis due to lack of vascularization, its causes are:
– Smoking prior to gum grafting
– Trauma to the healing area resulting in detachment of the graft from the gum retraction zone where the gum graft has been sutured.
– Incorrect brushing of the area by using a non-surgical brush.
Can receding gums grow back?
Generally, receding gums or gingival recession cannot grow back on their own.
- If the retraction or recession of the gum is due to the presence of calculus or dental tartar, removing it with a prophylaxis or dental hygiene will improve by itself if a correct dental hygiene is maintained by the patient.
- But if the cause is due to a malposition of the tooth, the treatment that can improve it is orthodontics.
