Gum Graft on Teeth

Gum recession is when the gum around the teeth had receded exposing the roots of the affected teeth.

Causes of receded gums on teeth:

• Aggressive, hard, and improper toothbrushing.
• Infection of gums or gum disease
• Inherited thin gum can make someone more prone to receded gums.
• Improper positioning of teeth.

Main reason why patients need gum graft on teeth:

• Very sensitive exposed roots of teeth.
• Cosmetic issue associated with receded gums.
• Very thin progressive gum recession
• Prevention of decay on the exposed roots of teeth.

Gum grafting on teeth is a periodontal surgical procedure where the patient’s own gum is repositioned upward (Figure 12A-12B) or if the gum is thin or receded, extra gum can be harvested from the roof of the mouth. The harvested gum graft is sutured or tied up on the exposed root surfaces to cover the receded or exposed roots of the teeth (Figure 12C-12D). There is also a relatively new technique where a collagen graft, usually derivative from porcine (xenograft), manufactured by a dental company is used to cover the root surface. This is to avoid the harvesting of gum from the roof of the mouth, producing less surgical pain after the procedure. The predictability of this “out of the packet gum graft” is still being investigated as there is limited research available when compared to the patients’ harvested gum.