Gum Grafting treatment in London
Gums can recede over time naturally, or they can develop as a result of over zelous brushing or trauma to an area. Please find below more information about the causes of gum recession, and how we can help using a technique called gum grafting.
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Gum grafting repairs receeding gums to replace the gums to their ideal position.
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There are many causes of gum recession.
Brushing too hard
Brushing your teeth too hard can literally brush your gums away, especially if they are thin to begin with. The first step in the treatment for you in this case is to change how you are brushing. We can guide you as to the best techniques and tools to help you do this.
Thin gums
You can either have thin or thick gums. If you have thin gums, the gum is more likely to shrink back, especially if there has been some trauma or irritant in the area.
Orthodontic tooth movement (wearing braces)
Braces can sometimes cause the gums to recede. Gum grafting can either be done before or after wearing braces – both invisible braces and conventional ‘train-tracks’.
Trauma to the gums
Trauma to the gums can cause them to recede. This can be something as small as a sharp object hitting the gum, a piercing near the area or an accident to the gums/teeth.
Gum Disease
If you have gum disease the gums can shrink back, and this can actually be a good thing in controlling the disease. It is often not possible to repair the gum to its original height in this case, however, it is really important to control the gum disease to prevent any further loss of gum, and most importantly, prevent you loosing the tooth altogether.
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There are a number of ways to repair the gums. Either we can use your own gum and transplant it to the receding area, or we can use a material from another animal or human. All procedures are safe, and have been very well tested, however, we can discuss the options that would be the most suitable for you.
The most common grafts performed at Periodontist London are:
- Free gingival grafts
- Connective tissue grafts
- Alloderm grafts
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Grafts typically take three months to heal well. We will see you regularly during this period to ensure that the graft is healing perfectly, and talk you through the care and maintenance during this healing period.
Most people return to work the next day, however we recommend that you restrict any vigorous exercise for the first two weeks following any grafting procedure.