Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Specialists in Dental Implants

What Gum Grafts Can Do to Improve Your Smile

Posted on 11/16/2020 by Malmquist Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Are you looking 'a little long in the tooth?' It's a funny saying but accurately describes what happens to your teeth' appearance as you age. As we grow older, the gums around our teeth recede - often because of gum disease and bone loss, making our teeth look longer. Gum grafts can shorten the look of your teeth or repair cosmetic damage from periodontal work.

Options in Gum Grafting

Gum grafting is a straightforward procedure. Your periodontist may use carefully selected tissue from a donor that matches your blood type or tissue from your mouth.

If your periodontist uses a donor, it will either be allograft tissue harvested from a cadaver donor of the same species or xenograft tissue from either cow or pig skin. Harvesters sterilize both types of donor graft skin to remove all proteins, viruses, bacteria, and living cells. Using a donor allows for many areas of the mouth to be worked on in one sitting.

Autografting harvests tissue from areas of your mouth. You can choose either a gingival or connective tissue graft, and both grafts take tissue from the roof of your mouth.

Once healed, a successful gum graft is barely visible. Reestablishing your regular oral health procedures will help to maintain the results of your graft. Brushing your teeth twice a day, effectively flossing, and employing a bacteria-killing mouthwash will help keep bacteria-carrying plaque from resettling along your gum line and keep the bones healthy.

The work's goal is to restore your youthful smile by creating the look of your shorter teeth or restoring your gums to their pre-periodontal work condition seamlessly. If you are noticing that your teeth are lengthening or have had crown-lengthening or other periodontal work, come and talk to us about your gum grafting options.

Phone:

(503) 446-6776

Fax:

503-297-7810

Address:

1750 SW Harbor Way, Suite # 100, Portland, OR. 97201

Hours:

Mon - Thu: 8:00am–4:30pm
Friday: 7:00am–2:00pm
Saturday: By Appointment Only

Request An Appointment
Contact Us

Dental Blog | Malmquist Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
If you have any questions regarding implants or how would like to make an appointment, please call our office here at Malmquist Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Malmquist Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 1750 SW Harbor Way, Suite # 100, Portland, OR. 97201 ~ (503) 446-6776 ~ dentalimplantsinportland.com ~ 4/1/2023 ~ Page Phrases: oral surgeon Portland ~