When you have lost the gum tissue that covers the roots of your teeth, you are faced with only a few alternatives. The gum tissue will not grow back naturally and ignoring the condition will only allow the condition to worsen. The exposed root surface increases your risk for hypersensitivity and root decay. Additionally, an irregular shaped gumline can cause your smile to appear unaesthetic or aged.
When you visit your periodontist to discuss your treatment options for gum recession, you will find that the missing gum tissue can be replaced with a grafting material known as AlloDerm®.
Since being introduced for clinical use almost two decades ago, AlloDerm® has successfully overcome many of the limitations of traditional gum grafting methods.
The traditional grafting procedure, known as autogenous grafting, requires the removal of soft tissue from the roof of your own mouth. This tissue is then sutured in place to cover the roots of the teeth and stop recession. The roof of the mouth, referred to as the donor site, can be especially uncomfortable during healing, and the amount of tissue on the roof of the mouth may not be plentiful enough to cover multiple teeth.
Successfully overcoming these concerns has made AlloDerm® one of the most exciting advances in recent periodontal history. This treatment solution utilizes aseptically processed donated human skin tissue rather than rely on tissue that has been removed from your own body. This technique is beneficial in a number of ways:
-Improved patient comfort and acceptance
-equivalent biocompatible to autogenous grafting
-Availability of larger quantities, making it ideal for multiple-teeth coverage
-Shown to reduce post operative complications related to a secondary healing site
-Soft tissue augmentation with AlloDerm® can be safely performed around implants
It’s exciting when we can solve an old problem with a new solution that actually works! To correct your receding gums with a solution that looks better, feels better, and also offers safe and predictable results is attractive for both the patient as well as the periodontist.
Find out if AlloDerm® is right for you when you call the office of Drs. Edward Gottesman and Susan Karabin to schedule your consultation today.
