Having a contagious smile is truly a luxury. The effect a good smile can have on your confidence levels is just phenomenal. But, not all of us are lucky enough to have a smile that draws in compliments. Oral issues such as discoloration, cavities, malocclusion, external trauma, gum diseases, etc. can ruin the smile to such an extent that you could feel embarrassed to even smile freely in front of your loved ones.
Gum diseases, in particular, are infamously known to upset one’s oral health as well as the aesthetics of the smile to a large extent. They can cause issues such as pain, bleeding, redness, receding of gums, etc., making the oral setup look quite shabby. Just thinking about it can make us fear the worst.
What is gum grafting?
The process of extracting healthy tissues from a different part of the mouth and grafting them to the infected and receded area on the gums is called gum grafting. This procedure helps to replenish the ideal volume of tissues in the gums, which is good for both oral aesthetics and functionality. The procedure should be performed by a well-trained and experienced dentist, such as Dr. Matheson, to get the best results possible.
What causes gum diseases?
- Gum diseases are quite a pain, and like most other oral infections, they are caused due to the accumulation of plaque and tartar on the surface of the teeth. The tartar deposits contain a huge number of microbes in them, which release toxins when they feed on the food debris in the mouth. These toxins can cause cavities and infect the nearby gum tissues, starting from the gum line.
- Root canal infection occurs when a cavity is left untreated for long and advances on to the deeper layers on the tooth. The microbes from the root canal cavity could infect the gums as well.
- External trauma to the mouth can injure the gums, causing cuts and bruises. The oral bacteria could enter the gums through these openings and infect them.
How is gum grafting done?
Gum grafting involves two procedures; removing the infected tissues and grafting healthy tissues to the receded area. The decayed gum tissues will be removed using a high-intensity laser. The laser beam instantly vaporizes the tissues and seals the wound, thereby making the procedure almost completely painless, quick, and highly effective. There wouldn’t be a need for sutures or long healing periods after the procedure.
Next, healthy tissues will be taken from a different part of the mouth, preferably the roof of the mouth (palate). These tissues would most often match the gums, which is how they would be indistinguishable against them. The tissues will be placed in the receded area and grafted meticulously. A certain healing period would be recommended for the new tissues to bond to the existing ones. Patients should be very cautious during this period. Eating hot and spicy foods, brushing near the grafted area, etc. should be avoided.
Achieve a good smile with oral surgery and grafting treatment at Matheson Dentistry & Implant Center in Queen Creek, AZ. Get in touch today!