Gum Grafting

A periodontal plastic surgical procedure (gum grafting), when feasible, reduces further gum recession, protects underlying bone, shields vulnerable roots from tooth decay, and improves a smile's appearance.Gum tissue can recede from teeth because of gum disease, brushing too hard, or hereditary proclivity for gum recession. Strong gum tissue keeps teeth solidly anchored and looks attractive. The new gum tissue Dr. Grossman grafts to the site will offer better support for teeth.

On the other end of the spectrum, patients with overgrown gum tissue may require gum reduction. Removing excess gum tissue can improve a person’s appearance by uncovering tooth structure, which makes teeth appear longer and larger. In some cases, gum reduction is required prior to crown placement. This procedure is called crown lengthening.

Types of gum grafts that Dr. Grossman can perform include:
  • Gingival graft:
    A thin piece of tissue is taken from the roof of the mouth, or gently moved over from adjacent areas, to provide a stable band of attached gingiva around the tooth.
     
  • Connective tissue graft:
    In this procedure, tissue is taken from the undersurface of the palatal tissue (roof of the mouth) via tiny incisions, and is used to not only restore missing thick keratinized gum tissue, but also used to cover exposed roots of the teeth.
     
  • Donor connective tissue graft:
    In some cases, we can use donor skin, which eliminates the need to harvest tissue from the patient's palate.

Call our Acton and Newton Centre, MA offices today to reserve your personal periodontal evaluation. As a periodontist, Dr. Stephen Grossman serves patients with specialized treatments, including periodontal therapy, implant dentistry, gum grafting, soft tissue management and bone regeneration procedures that are backed by extensive education and experience. Dr. Grossman and our team serve patients from Waltham, Lexington, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Wellesley, Sudbury, Concord, Westford, and beyond from our Acton and Newton Centre practice locations. We look forward to meeting you and providing the same standard of care to address your periodontal needs.

Dental Network