Are There Different Types of Tissue Grafts for Periodontics?
Gingival grafting, or gum grafting, is a treatment used to thicken your gums and also to restore gum recession. This procedure is often used for a number of reasons which involve reinforcing your gums and teeth and if you have increased sensitivity due to the gum recession. There are different procedures that are used for tissue grafts and the treatment chosen for you will depend upon the amount of bone and tissue in the area. The following is a brief summary of the different types of grafting and what the indications are for each type.
Free Gingival Grafts
Free gingival grafts are used to reinforce your gums in specific weak and receding areas. If you have gums that are receding, the chance of you losing a tooth is increased since your gums are not helping to hold it in place. Your gums also cover the more sensitive roots of your teeth to protect them from any infection and exposure to open air. A periodontist will take a piece of the tissue from the roof of your mouth and graft it over your receding gums. When it heals, this area will be fuller, healthier, and stronger. Now you will be able to focus on keeping your gums healthy so that they will not continue to recede. The objective of the free gingival graft is to augment the tissue and to try to prevent any further bone loss and recession.
Connective Tissue Graft
A connective tissue graft is the most common and frequent type of gum grafting. Instead of using the outer layer of tissue from your palette for the graft, your periodontist will take a piece of connective tissue layer from under the surface skin. With this type of graft, the purpose is to both cover the recession and to thicken the gingival tissue. Your dentist may choose to do this type of graft if you do not like the aesthetics in a specific area or if it is sensitive to cold.
Alloderm Graft
In some situations, your periodontist might decide to use donor tissue instead of taking tissue from the roof of your mouth. This type of graft has similar factors like the connective tissue graft, but is beneficial if you do not have enough tissue on the roof of your mouth or are nervous about taking tissue from this area.
Pedicle Graft
Pedicle grafts also do not take tissue from the roof of your mouth. Your periodontist will use a small piece of your gums that is directly next to the area that needs more tissue and literally rotate it over to cover the recession. This graft helps to maintain an original healthy connection while covering the area in need.
The challenge to pedicle grafting is that you need to have a significant amount of extra tissue near the area that is receding. In many cases, it is several teeth next to one another that are suffering from recession. If the recession is indeed just under one tooth, then a pedicle graft may be beneficial since the other teeth have enough tissue for the procedure.