Is Gum Grafting Something I need?

Have you recently visited your periodontist and they’ve recommended gum graft surgery? Don’t panic, it’s not as bad or as scary as it sounds. Gum grafting surgery is used to elongate the gums if you gum recession or your gums are pulling back and roots are exposed. Bone recession happens slowly over time and may not be noticed right away. Dr. Rice suggests, “Once your gums begin to recede, you may not have the beautiful smile you aim to have. You may also begin to feel your teeth become loose and more of each tooth exposed.”

If you choose not to have gum graft surgery, once your gums recede to a certain point, your teeth will no longer have a comfortable pocket to sit in. Without your gums and the bone beneath them the teeth may begin to loosen and will eventually fall out.  “Our gums are designed to fit our teeth like a snug pocket, holding them in place,” says Dr. Rice. Over time, and with periodontal disease, the damage to your gums may cause your teeth to be hanging on by a thread.

Gum graft surgery in a few short appointments can fix this problem quickly and efficiently. Surgery is designed to restore your smile to one that is beautiful, not only that, but it will also cut down on tooth sensitivity, because the roots of your teeth will no longer be exposed.

A Periodontist Does More Than Keep Your Gums Healthy

While you may think the only job a periodontist has is to improve the overall health of your gums, there is more they can do for you. Do you have missing teeth due to gum disease? Dr. Denine Rice can help to repair your smile. Today’s technology allows for multiple options. For example, Dr. Rice can provide bone grafting. Bone grafts are where synthetic bone is used in order to build up the jawbone. This is done if you have missing teeth or if the bone in the jaw is not up as high or strong as what you need in order to place implants

 

Periodontists can also complete oral health exams. If you smoke or use tobacco-less products you might discover lesions inside your mouth. Periodontist, Denine Rice suggests, “Get these lesions evaluated immediately. It is critical in order to determine the next steps.”

Periodontists can also help remove diseased tissue from the gums. They do this by scaling away debris from the root surface of your teeth.  This procedure is used if you have had severe periodontal disease that is impacting your smile.

Your Periodontist can also complete an exam to determine the overall health of your gums and teeth to determine if more complex surgery is needed in order to get your gums back to a healthy state. For example, they’ll check to see if you have any loose teeth, gum recession or more severe periodontal disease.  

Finally your periodontist will also be examining your mouth for any other signs of ill health – your mouth is the window into your overall health, not just your oral health.

When thinking this New Year about resolutions to make, include one that improves your overall health – visiting your periodontist for an exam.