Gum Surgeries
Gum surgery is a dental procedure for treating thinning gums or gum recession. Gum Surgery covers exposed teeth roots and adds volume to your gum line, improving overall oral health. Recovery usually takes one week to two weeks, but it may take longer. Gum Surgery has a good success rate and can reduce your risk of severe gum disease.
Overview
What is a gum surgery?
A gum surgery is a type of dental surgery. It treats gum recession, a condition where your gums pull away from your teeth and expose the roots underneath. Exposed teeth roots increase your risk of tooth decay, sensitivity and bone loss around teeth. Gum grafting replaces the lost tissue around your teeth and improves your overall oral health.
Treatment Details
What happens before gum surgery?
If your dentist suspects that you need gum surgery, they’ll refer you to a periodontist for an examination. Your periodontist will check the health of your gums and measure the pockets around your teeth. They’ll also check to see how much recession you have around each tooth.
Depending on the severity of your condition, your periodontist may want to monitor the recession. Or they may recommend moving ahead with gum surgery. Your periodontist will discuss your treatment options with you in detail during your consultation.
What happens during gum surgery?
There are many gum surgery techniques and materials available. Periodontists commonly take tissue from your palate (the roof of your mouth) and move it to the area of recession. In some cases, though, they may use a substitute material, which they can purchase from a licensed bone and tissue bank.
During a gum surgery, your periodontist will:
- Give you local anesthesia. This numbs your teeth and gums in that area. Many periodontists also offer sedation dentistry options for your comfort, including nitrous oxide, oral sedation and IV sedation. Be sure to ask about your options during your initial visit.
Prepare the site. Once you’re comfortable, your periodontist makes an incision (cut) and creates a small flap in your gums. They’ll also thoroughly clean your teeth roots. - Harvest the gum surgery. Next, your surgeon creates another incision on the roof of your mouth and removes a small wedge of inner tissue. The outer layer remains intact. They’ll close the site using sutures or periodontal dressing. (If your surgeon decides to use donated tissue, they’ll skip this step.)
- Place the gum surgery. Next, your surgeon places the gum surgery over your exposed teeth roots (the area of recession).
- Place sutures. Finally, your surgeon repositions your gum tissue and stitches it into place. Your periodontist might use stitches that fall out on their own. Or you might need to have them removed at your follow-up visit.
How long does gum surgery take?
It depends on how many teeth have gum recession. If you only need one gum surgery, it usually takes about an hour. If you need multiple surgeyies in different areas of your mouth, it could take longer.
Recovery and Outlook
How long does it take to recover from a gum surgery?
Every person heals differently. But on average, gum surgery recovery takes one week to two weeks. If you had multiple areas treated at once, recovery might take a little longer. Your periodontist can tell you what to expect.
When can I resume normal routines?
You should avoid exercise, heavy lifting and other strenuous exertions for at least the first week. These activities increase your heart rate and can lead to more discomfort, bleeding and swelling. Be sure to clear it with your surgeon before you resume these activities.
Most people can return to work or school in one day to two days
Is gum surgery worth it?
Gum surgery boasts high success rates of over 90%. This procedure gives you the best chance of treating gum recession and improving your overall oral health.
Left untreated, gum recession can result in cavities, severe gum disease, tooth mobility and even eventual tooth loss.
A note from Smile Spectrum Clinic
Hearing that you need gum surgery might feel scary. The good news is that it offers a number of benefits, including high success rates and a fairly quick recovery. Gum surgery is the leading treatment for gum recession. There are many different gum surgery techniques and materials available that can help replace and regenerate lost gum tissue. Your dentist or periodontist can explain your treatment options in detail during a consultation.