Crown Lightening

This procedure, also known as gingival grafting, involves the removal of a small amount of gum tissue from a healthy, abundant location and placing it where it’s needed most. In most patients, this will involve the use of tissue from the roof of your mouth, the palate. This tissue is then stitched into the location that needs it and giving it time to heal. Your body will develop a new set of blood vessels to support this graft and incorporate it into the healthy tissue at the graft site. Once it has healed, it has become fully integrated into your tissues and functions like any other gingival tissue.

While the need for a gum graft can often be confirmed visually, there are some clues that can serve as indicators. These often include teeth that appear too long and teeth that are darker than healthier teeth. Insufficient oral hygiene and advanced periodontal disease can make a gum graft necessary, but you can also experience gum recession as a natural consequence of aging. This is actually the source of the old idiom “Long in the tooth.”

When you see Dr. Li for a gum graft, you’re going to be in good hands. Once it’s been determined that a gum graft it necessary, you’ll schedule an appointment for the procedure. When you arrive, you’ll receive a local anesthetic to the graft site and the site where the graft material will be taken from. The graft will be stitched in place using sutures as fine as a human hair. Once the stitches are firmly in place, the procedure is over, and you’ll be able to drive yourself home.

Following your gum graft, you’ll need to take special care of your freshly grafted gums. This includes returning to a strict regimen of good oral hygiene practices, including mouthwash, twice a day brushing, and flossing. You should also maintain a healthy dental diet and twice a year visits to your periodontist for care.

Gum recession can pose a serious risk to otherwise healthy teeth. If you’re concerned that you’re experiencing gum recession, then contact Perio & Implant at Washington Metro by calling 202-737-1850 today! You’ll be scheduled for an appointment with Dr. Jean Li and receive an exam and consultation. At this appointment, you’ll be able to develop a plan for getting gum recession under control and restoring good oral health.