Connective Tissue Graft

A Connective Tissue Graft is a dental procedure that corrects gingival (gum) recession. When the gum tissue that surrounds the teeth pulls back, it exposes the tooth’s root, and so Gingival recession occurs as a result. This condition is often due to gum disease or over aggressive tooth brushing. Gum recession will also lead to other problems like loss of supporting bone and increased plaque build-up.

Problems With Gum Recession

Two leading reasons why gum tissue recedes and roots become exposed are due to over aggressive brushing and gum disease. Exposed roots may be sensitive due to hot and cold, vulnerable to decay, and associated with loss of supporting bone. Furthermore, gum recession and exposed roots can lead to the following problems (Figure 1):

Decrease in esthetics
Increase in root sensitivity
Loss of supporting bone
Increase in plaque build-up*
Risk of future recession*
Figure 1: Recession may lead to interdental bone loss resulting in complications beyond gum recession

Correcting Gum Recession

Healthy gum tissue protects your teeth from disease and sensitivity, and as a result, is the basis of a great smile. However, when you lose gum tissue around your teeth it can be the beginning of serious oral health problems. Fortunately, Dr. Yolanda Cruz can perform a connective tissue graft so to correct this tissue loss. Usually, the doctor will harvest a piece of tissue from the roof of your mouth to consequently serve as the graft material. However, not all patients have enough tissue available. Additionally, some patients are reluctant to have tissue taken from this sensitive area. Therefore, patients can opt for an alternative solution called Alloderm. Alloderm is a graft material from donated human tissue.

WHAT IS ALLODERM?

AlloDerm is donated human tissue that has been processed to remove donor cells, leading to a regenerative tissue matrix. LifeCell Corporation processes AlloDerm and BioHorizons distributes AlloDerm to dental professionals.

HOW SAFE IS ALLODERM?

AlloDerm is widely used in both medicine and dentistry for plastic and reconstructive surgery. This graft material was first developed to treat burn patients and is now also used in:

General surgery
Urogenital surgery
Orthopedic surgery
Dental surgery

Since its introduction in 1994, over 1 million AlloDerm grafts have been successfully placed with no known incidence of disease transmission. Donor tissue is extensively screened and tested for the presence of diseases and then it undergoes LifeCell’s proprietary processing procedures to ensure that AlloDerm is virally inactivated before release for patient care.

Figure 2: Exposed root surface before grafting

Figure 3: Root surfaces covered as a result of grafting with AlloDerm

AFTER SURGERY

After the surgery, the doctor will provide post operative instructions. Post operative instructions could include:

Cover surgical site with a dressing material
Antibiotics prescribed to limit inflammation
Medication prescribed to manage post operative pain
Mouth rinse prescribed to clean surgical site
Avoid brushing and chewing at the surgical site

For More Information

Because every patient is different and patient results may vary, only a trained surgical dentist can determine the best treatment plan for you. Therefore, Dr. Yolanda Cruz will explain the benefits and risks and determine if AlloDerm grafting is right for you. Schedule a consult today – call us at at our Downtown office 416-595-5490 . You can also find information on the web at https://www.biohorizons.com/