Gum Grafts for Receding Gums
A gum graft rebuilds gum that has receded, covering an exposed root and thickening tissue that has worn thin. It is worth doing when recession is causing sensitivity, is still progressing, or has left too little firm gum to keep the tooth clean. Plenty of recession needs none of this, and we will say so.
- Surgery
- One visit
- Anaesthetic
- Local
- Healing
- 3–4 weeks
- MediSave
- Partially claimable
- Fee
- From S$2,180 per site
Why gums recede
Gum recedes for several different reasons, and they do not all lead to the same treatment. Brushing too hard, or with a hard brush, wears it away mechanically. Gum disease destroys the bone underneath and the gum follows it down. A tooth sitting outside the arch may have had thin bone over its root from the start. Grinding and a heavy bite load the tooth in ways that make all of the above worse.
This matters because a graft placed without changing what caused the recession tends to recede again. Finding the cause is the first part of the treatment, not a preliminary to it.
The techniques we use
Connective tissue graft. The most common, and the one that covers an exposed root most predictably. A thin layer of tissue is taken from beneath the surface of the palate and tucked under the gum at the recession site, so the graft is nourished from both sides while it heals.
Free gingival graft. Used where the aim is to build a band of firm, attached gum rather than to cover a root — often lower front teeth with almost no sturdy tissue left. It thickens and strengthens rather than restoring the original gum line.
Pinhole-type tunnelling. Rather than cutting and lifting a flap, the gum is released through a small entry point and eased back down over the root. Suited to several adjacent teeth with shallow recession, and there is no separate palate wound. Not every pattern of recession can be treated this way.
Which one suits you is decided at the assessment, from how much firm gum remains, how deep the recession is, how many teeth are involved and what caused it.
What happens
An assessment: the recession measured at each tooth, the amount of firm gum remaining, and the cause identified. Photographs and a scan, so change can be compared later rather than remembered.
Whatever is driving the recession is dealt with first — brushing technique, gum inflammation, or a bite that is overloading the tooth.
The surgery itself, in one visit under local anaesthetic. Tissue is usually taken from your own palate; a donor biomaterial can be used instead, at additional cost.
Follow-up appointments while it heals. The surface takes three to four weeks; the gum keeps maturing for some months after that.
Who does this at Calm Dental
Fees for this treatment are on our fees page, including GST. A written quotation follows examination.
Questions
Does receding gum always need a graft?
No. A lot of recession is stable, causes no symptoms and is better watched than treated. Grafting is worth considering where the root is sensitive, where the recession is still getting worse, where so little firm gum is left that cleaning the tooth is difficult, or where the exposed root is starting to decay or notch. If none of those apply, we will tell you so and see you at your next review.
Where does the tissue come from?
Usually from your own palate, taken from an area that heals under a protective dressing. Your own tissue is the first choice because it integrates predictably and matches the surrounding gum. A donor biomaterial can be used instead where that suits the case better or where you would rather avoid a second site, and that option carries an additional cost.
How long does it take to heal?
The surface heals over three to four weeks. You are seen for follow-up appointments during that time to check how the graft is settling. The gum continues to mature for some months after that, so the final appearance is not the one you see at three weeks.
Is it painful?
The surgery itself is done under local anaesthetic, so you feel pressure rather than pain. Afterwards the palate is usually more tender than the grafted site, which is one reason a donor biomaterial is sometimes chosen. You are given pain relief and clear aftercare instructions, and we would rather you called than waited if something does not feel right.
Can I use MediSave?
Partially. Gum grafting is a surgical procedure and part of the fee is MediSave-claimable, subject to Ministry of Health withdrawal limits. Not all of it is. We will tell you what can be claimed and what cannot before you decide, as part of the written quotation.
Who does this at Calm Dental?
The dentist listed on this page. Gum grafting is surgical periodontal work and sits with the rest of the periodontal treatment at the practice.