A gum graft is a collective name for surgical periodontal procedures that aim to replace a type of gum tissue that has been lost and/or to cover exposed root surfaces.

Types of Donor Tissue

  1. Autogenous tissue- Patient’s tissue
  2. Allograft tissue- Acellular dermal matrix. This is medically processed donated human tissue.

Types of Gum Graft Procedures

  1. Free gingival graftFree gingival graft – This type of graft is often used to replace gum tissue that is needed to prevent further gum recession. In a free gingival graft procedure, only the patient’s tissue can be used. This procedure involves a small incision at the site to be grafted. The gum graft is a very thin layer of tissue, removed from the roof of the mouth and placed at the site created for the gum graft, and sutured. The gum graft is covered with a dissolvable bandage. The roof of the mouth is covered with a surgical retainer worn for a week. With the retainer, there is minimal to no discomfort in the roof of the mouth.
  2. Root coverage graft – For more information, please see our page on  Tunneling
If you have any questions about gum grafting, please ask your periodontist.