Your body is good at healing cuts, wounds, and other injuries. But sometimes, the damage is so big that tissue grafts can help. Connective tissue grafts replace damaged soft tissue with healthy tissue grafts from elsewhere in your mouth or from another person (an allograft). It then heals together with the surrounding tissue. The resulting tissue can:
Improved Aesthetics:
Connective tissue grafts involve a surgical procedure where soft tissue is transferred from the roof of your mouth to cover an exposed tooth root or reposition a loose gum line. This improves the aesthetic appearance of your smile by reducing gum recession, making teeth look longer and healthier. The transplanted tissue also prevents pain or sensitivity and helps prevent tooth decay by covering roots vulnerable to bacteria.
A graft with epithelium (CTG-ES) improves the esthetic outcome of soft tissue grafts restoration by increasing the root coverage. However, few studies compare the effectiveness of CTG-ES and sub-epithelial grafting methods. A randomized clinical trial is necessary to determine which technique provides better patient aesthetic results.
Improved Gum Health:
Gum surgery can be scary for many patients, especially when the procedure is recommended for gum recession. Luckily, the procedure is straightforward and can significantly enhance your smile’s health and visual appeal.
When your gum tissue is damaged, the roots of your teeth are exposed and can become sensitive to heat and cold. The soft tissue grafts will cover these roots, reduce sensitivity, and protect the roots from future damage and decay.
To perform the gum graft, your periodontist Austin will take tissue from the roof of your mouth and create a pocket to fit along the tooth or teeth needing coverage. They may use a free gingival graft, which involves making a flap in the palate to hide the area of tissue removal, or a pedicle graft. A pedicle graft is less invasive, as it moves tissue from an area where it is abundant to the site where it is lacking.
Faster Healing Time:
The healing process after connective tissue grafts typically last about one to two weeks. Patients should avoid hard or sticky foods during this time to protect the area and ensure proper healing. They must also follow their doctor’s instructions when taking medications and follow post-surgery recovery guidelines.
The graft site on the roof of your mouth may hurt temporarily, especially during this initial stage. However, this pain should subside quickly. This is a sign that the site isn’t healing correctly if it doesn’t.
A connective tissue graft Pflugerville is an excellent option for treating gum disease because it can cover exposed roots and reduce the damage caused by periodontitis. It can also be used as a cosmetic procedure to make your smile look healthier and more attractive.
Less Bleeding:
Patients who have lost gum tissue because of periodontal disease can benefit from connective tissue grafting. This surgical procedure involves opening a small flap on the mouth’s roof and removing a strip of soft tissue from there. This tissue is then placed on the area that needs additional coverage.
Using this technique, we can regenerate the band of gingiva that covers your roots, reducing root exposure and tooth sensitivity. This can also help reduce the impact of the recession on your smile aesthetics.
Some oozing (a little blood mixed with your saliva) sometimes happens during the surgery. This usually lasts a few hours. To minimize bleeding, you should avoid spitting or rinsing the mouth for this time, and you should try to keep your movements to a minimum.
