During the treatment for periodontal gum disease, the occasion often arises when unhealthy gum tissue has to be replaced. Healthy tissue is obtained from another source, maybe from the palate of the patients mouth or from a tissue donor and is grafted to the gum (gingival).

There are two types of gum tissue.

a). Keratinizing gingival tissue which is thick tissue surrounding the neck of the tooth, and it is the erosion of this tissue caused primarily by periodontitis, which leads to gum recession.

b). Mucosa tissue, which is far more elastic, and lines the lower mouth regions and the cheeks.

The object of the grafting procedure is to replace the keratinizing tissue with soft tissue and minimize the degree of gum recession.

Associated with gum recession is an amount of bone recession since the bone support for the tooth is within the gum. So, if the gum recesses then so does the tooth bone. By grafting fresh tissue onto the gum around the neck of the tooth, to replace the lost keratinizing tissue, both the amount of gum and bone recession will be halted

With this kind of tissue grafting, it is also possible not only to replace the missing keratinizing tissue but to cover the exposed root of the tooth.

These grafting procedures although extremely beneficial can have other effects which can interfere with and can cause an imbalance in the oral symmetry of the patient.

The teeth and gums should display a natural balance, but sometimes the result of gum grafting has caused a one sided appearance to the mouth, and this condition may require further grafting to correct the oral imbalance.

This can be readily achieved by cosmetic gum grafts, whereby tissue is grafted onto the deficient area to ‘fatten ‘ the gum, or pad out the gum to restore the cosmetic balance.

Primarily there are two main types of gum grafts—

Soft Tissue Grafts.

Of the many varieties of soft tissue graft, the one used in periodontal treatment takes fresh tissue, usually from the surface skin on the roof of the mouth and it is grafted to the area following the removal of unhealthy keratinized gum tissue. This kind of tissue cannot be used to cover the exposed tooth root.

Connective Tissue.

Again fresh tissue is taken from the palate and is used to replace missing keratinized tissue. This kind of connective tissue can be used to cover exposed tooth root.

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