3 Kinds of Gum Grafts That Might Be Used for Dental Implants

In order to replace your missing teeth with dental implants, you need strong, healthy gums. Unfortunately, in many cases there may not be enough gum tissue to completely cover your dental implant posts. The good news is that this issue can often be solved with gum grafting – but what exactly that means can vary depending on your situation. Here are 3 types of gum grafts that might be necessary for getting dental implants.

1. Connective Tissue Grafts

This is the most common type of gum graft, and it’s usually recommended for patients who have suffered from gum recession. For this procedure, a flap is made in the roof of your mouth, and a small amount of connective tissue is taken from underneath it. The tissue is carefully stitched to the area where recession has occurred.

It usually takes about one to two weeks to recover from a connective tissue graft; once your mouth has healed, your dentist can determine whether it’s okay to move forward with the dental implant procedure.

2. Free Soft Tissue Autogenous Graft

This type of graft is somewhat similar to a connective tissue graft, in that it involves transplanting existing tissue to your gums. However, instead of creating a flap, your dentist will take the necessary tissue directly from the roof of your mouth. This approach is often recommended if you have unusually thin gums around the area where dental implants need to be inserted.

3. Pedicle Graft

For this type of graft, a flap of tissue is created in the gums themselves. The flap is carefully stretched to cover the area where tissue is lacking and is then stitched in place.

Pedicle grafts are unique because they involve using local tissue. As a result, your dentist won’t have to take grafting material from another part of your body. However, a pedicle graft can only be performed if there’s still a sufficient amount of healthy gum tissue to work with.

When Will My Gum Graft Be Performed?

To minimize the risk of implant failure, your gum graft will typically need to be performed before your dental implant surgery. If you need any teeth extracted as part of the implant process, you can often have a gum graft done on the same day. Doing so will prevent any further gum recession from occurring before your implants are placed.

Gum grafting isn’t always part of the dental implant process, but it can often be a crucial step. During your initial implant consultation, ask your dentist if a gum graft might be required.

About the Practice

At Advanced Dental Solutions of Pittsburgh, our dental experts use modern technology and the latest techniques to bring their patients state-of-the-art care. We’re proud to be able to both place and restore dental implants in a single location. If you’ve been thinking of using dental implants to restore your smile or have concerns about gum recession, schedule a consultation with us today by visiting our website or calling (412) 854-2310.