If you have ever experienced gum recession around your teeth or felt like you had too much tooth showing, it may be a result of inadequate gum tissue around your teeth or dental implants.

The pink part of the gum tissue is the top part by the teeth. It is attached to the bone underneath. The dark part of the mouth under the tongue or in the cheek is called unattached tissue. You must have adequate attached tissue around teeth or dental implants. The way to increase this area or band of tissue is to add to it through gum grafting.

Adequate attached tissue is important in keeping a zone of health around your teeth and implants; it acts as a barrier to the bad bacteria that cause tooth loss. The tissue to be added can be harvested from your palate or we can use a donor source (Alloderm). The grafted material is then sutured next to and under the gum where tissue is to be added.

To avoid harvesting at a second surgical site most people opt for using the donor membrane (Alloderm). Alloderm has been used for over 10 years with no history of any donor to recipient disease transmission. It has become the standard for tissue grafting. As with all donor products the patient must be aware of the inherent risk with any donor product.