Receding gums can leave your smile vulnerable to decay and infection. Gum recession can also add years to your appearance, making you look “long in the tooth”. Fortunately, there are safe, effective treatments available to restore your gums to their earlier health. Gum grafting, or soft tissue grafting, is a procedure that utilizes donor tissue to cover exposed tooth roots.
Who Needs Gum Grafting?
Dr. Jean-Claude Kharmouche recommends gum grafting to patients with receding gums at his Leesburg, VA, practice. Patients may experience receding gums for a number of reasons, including:
• Advanced periodontal disease
• Teeth grinding or bruxism
• Overly vigorous brushing
• Misaligned bite
• Oral piercings
What You Can Expect from a Gum Grafting Procedure
There are several methods of gum grafting, including free gingival and pedicle, but the technique used most often for receding gums is the connective tissue graft. Its popularity is due to the fact that it can be used to treat all patients, regardless of whether they have thin or thick gum tissue.
- The first step in the process is to create a pocket in the gums, at the treatment site, which will accommodate the donor tissue.
- Next, donor tissue is collected from inside the mouth, typically from the palate. Our doctor creates a flap in the palate, taking tissue from underneath. After all of the donor tissue has collected, the flap will be smoothed down and sutured closed.
- Dr. Kharmouche then carefully positions the donor tissue in the pocket, at the site of the receding gums, ensuring that it properly covers the exposed tooth root. The donor tissue is then stitched into place in order to keep it from moving.
- Over time, it will integrate with the existing tissue. Both the donor site and the treatment site will heal over the course of the next six weeks, leaving you with a healthier gum line.
Are you experiencing receding gums in Leesburg, VA? Call our office to schedule your consultation with Dr. Jean-Claude Kharmouche. Our compassionate periodontist can help you restore the appearance and health of your smile with gum grafting.
