The question "Where can you get a gum graft?" will invariably pop up once somebody's either been told they have some tooth root exposure or they notice a darkening of the root at the receded gum line.
This darkening can be due to a number of reasons but it's most commonly from a bit of decay.
Fortunately, many people can be good candidates for a grafting of tissue over that gum area.
This first thing to know about such procedures as grafts is that they are what are known as "periodontal surgeries.
" Now, the term surgery often conjures visions of an operating room theater and a team of intense-looking gown-clad medical types, but fortunately that's not the case in this type of procedure.
Gum grafts are most often performed in the treatment room of a periodontist, who is usually a doctor of dental surgery (DDS), with a board certification and specialist training in periodontal issues.
Just as with medical doctors, though, any dentist who's been licensed to practice dentistry can hang a shingle out and do just about any aspect of dental medicine.
It's always highly recommended, though, that some time be taken to research for a dentist with appropriate periodontal certifications and extensive experience in performing grafts.
If you stop to think about things doesn't it make sense, after all, to put your trust in somebody who actually specializes in such procedures instead of a general dentist who may or may not have such a background? Gum grafting can make sense in a few different circumstances, especially when the root of the tooth is exposed or there's some hypersensitivity of the area surrounding the root.
If done properly, with donor tissue taken from the palate of the mouth, a full healing can be expected within 4 to 8 weeks.
Remember to try to use a periodontist who has experience in the procedure, if possible.