For the many people who suffer from periodontal disease, gum grafting is the method frequently used to restore receding gums and oral health. Dr. Gayle Bradshaw is a periodontist in The Woodlands, specializing in the treatment of gum disease.
At Bradshaw Periodontics, gum grafting is performed without harvesting donor tissue from the roof of the mouth. Using donor tissue from tissue banks that have been processed and sterilized eliminates the need for a second surgical site and allows for a quicker recovery.
Pedicle gum grafting is used for patients with ample gum tissue. With this technique, the gum tissue surrounding the site of the receding gums is cut and gently pulled to cover the exposed tooth root. This flap cut into the gum tissue is referred to as a pedicle.
Patients who undergo gum grafting to correct receding gums will have a special postoperative regimen that includes a special soft food diet for roughly a week. Anti-inflammatory medications should be taken, and patients generally return to work the day following a gum grafting procedure.