Gum Reconstruction Therapy in Newport Beach

Restore Your Gum Health Today

Your gums protect and support your teeth. Gum disease can cause the tissues surrounding your teeth to pull away. Gum recession can become a serious problem if not treated. Gum recession can result in deterioration of the bone structure of the jaw, which in turn can cause tooth loss. Fortunately, gum recession can be remedied with a surgical procedure called a gum graft.

Call Newport Smiles at (949) 570-5645 to schedule an appointment for Newport Beach gum reconstruction.

Types of Gum Grafts

The Connective Tissue Graft is used to treat tooth root exposure. It involves cutting a flap from the palate and removing connective tissue under the flap. This tissue is then attached to the gum around the exposed root.

The Free Gingival Graft is similar to the connective tissue graft. It is used to enhance thin gums. It uses tissue removed directly from the palate to treat the target area, as opposed to creating a flap and removing tissue from that flap.

The Pedicle Graft is used on patients with sufficient gum tissue near the tooth. The tissue is grafted from the gum surrounding the tooth rather than the palate. When the flap is cut, one edge of the gum remains attached. The flap is pulled over the exposed root. It is then sewn into place.

Do You Need Gum Reconstruction?

Gum reconstruction is a procedure that rebuilds and restores gum tissue in the mouth. The main reason for the procedure is age. As people get older, their gums shrink and expose more of the tooth that had been below the gum line. As that happens, teeth can become loose with less tissue for support, and they can slide, tip, or fall out, leading to more extensive procedures.

Another reason for gum reconstruction is a mouth injury that damages the gum area, requiring repair and regrowth. A third reason is related to certain illnesses, which cause the gum tissue to become inflamed or damaged.

The typical reconstruction procedure involves our dental specialist or periodontal expert scraping a thin layer of skin from the roof of the mouth behind the teeth. Using a potato peeler type of tool, only a small amount of tissue is removed from an area that cannot be seen by casual observers. The tissue is packed into the area of missing or receding gum and secured with packing gauze, like a skin graft. The tissue soon grows to fill in the gum area and restore healthy gums. Many people successfully have this done in a day’s time.

Gum Reconstruction – FAQs

Will there be any pain?

Pain experienced after the surgery may range from none at all to that of a burn from eating hot food.

What is the recovery time?

Recovery time for gum reconstruction surgery may vary, but patients should expect the healing process to take at least one week. Most people make full recoveries within two weeks.

For the first week or two after the surgery, patients should expect to each nothing but soft foods, such as pasta, egg, and ice cream, to prevent damage to their wounds. However, people may resume a normal amount of physical activity, including the return to work, the day after the surgery.