On this page
- Watch the video
- What is gum graft surgery?
- What types of gum grafts are there?
- What happens during gum graft surgery?
- What is healing like after a gum graft?
- How do you eat and brush while a graft heals?
- What are the risks of gum grafting?
- What affects the cost of a gum graft?
- Care at Perio One
- When to call us
- What to expect
- Common questions
At a glance
- Gum graft surgery covers an exposed root or thickens thin gum tissue.
- Tissue can come from the roof of your mouth, nearby gum, or processed donor tissue.
- Local anesthetic numbs the area; most procedures for a few teeth take about an hour.
- Tenderness is common for about a week to ten days, with soft foods and gentle brushing near the site.
- Results are long-lasting with good care, though coverage of the root may be partial.
Your gum graft, step by step
30 seconds, with sound and captions. Illustration only.
What is gum graft surgery?
Gum graft surgery adds tissue to cover an exposed tooth root or to thicken gum that has grown thin. It's used when a root needs more coverage than other approaches can give.
The graft can come from the roof of your mouth, from gum tissue next to the treated area, or from processed donor tissue. Which source fits best depends on how much tissue is needed and how many teeth are involved.
What types of gum grafts are there?
Four graft types cover most situations, and each draws tissue from a different source. The table below compares them, and your exam decides which fits your gums.
A connective tissue graft is the most common choice for covering roots, since it heals well and blends with the surrounding gum. A free gingival graft adds thickness rather than covering a root, and a pedicle graft borrows gum tissue from right next to the treated tooth.
Some patients ask about the Pinhole® Surgical Technique instead, which repositions the gum you already have rather than adding new tissue. The two approaches are compared in detail on the gum recession treatment page.
| Graft type | Where the tissue comes from | Often used for |
|---|---|---|
| Connective tissue graft | Tissue taken from just under the surface of the palate, leaving the outer layer in place | Covering one or several exposed roots; the most commonly used type |
| Free gingival graft | A thin layer of tissue taken from the surface of the palate | Thickening thin gum tissue, often around a single tooth |
| Pedicle (lateral) graft | Gum tissue next to the recession, partly detached and slid over to cover the root | A site with enough healthy gum beside the recession |
| Donor tissue graft | Processed, screened donor tissue from a tissue bank, so there is no second surgical site | Covering several teeth at once, or when palate tissue is limited |
What happens during gum graft surgery?
Your gum is numbed with a local anesthetic before anything begins. The area receiving the graft is prepared, the tissue is placed and shaped over the root or thin spot, and it's held in place with fine stitches.
If tissue is taken from your palate, that site is numbed too and usually covered with a small protective dressing. Most procedures for one or a few teeth take about an hour, and more teeth or a donor-tissue graft can take longer.
What is healing like after a gum graft?
Expect tenderness at the graft site, and at the donor site if your palate was used, for about a week to ten days. Most people are back to their usual routine within a day or two, with some care around eating and brushing.
The graft firms up over the first couple of weeks as it attaches to the surrounding tissue, and any stitches either dissolve or are removed at a follow-up visit. Full healing of the gum tissue continues for several weeks after that.
How do you eat and brush while a graft heals?
Soft, cool foods are easiest for the first several days, and it helps to chew on the side away from the graft. Brushing is gentler near the treated area, though the rest of your mouth is cleaned as usual.
- Choose soft foods like eggs, yogurt, mashed vegetables and pasta for about a week
- Skip hot, spicy, crunchy or hard foods until the site feels less tender
- Avoid brushing or flossing directly over the graft until you're told it's fine
- Rinse gently with warm salt water if it soothes the area, unless advised otherwise
- Avoid tobacco, which slows healing
What are the risks of gum grafting?
Gum graft surgery is a well-established, low-risk procedure, and serious complications are uncommon. In some cases the graft doesn't attach fully, which can mean less root coverage than hoped or, occasionally, a second procedure.
Bleeding, swelling or infection are possible but uncommon with proper care. Coverage of the root may be partial rather than complete, and results are long-lasting with good care, though gums can still change over the years with wear, grinding or new gum disease.
What affects the cost of a gum graft?
Cost depends on how many teeth are treated, which graft type is used, and whether tissue comes from your palate or a tissue bank. Only an exam can size up what your gums need.
- How many teeth are treated in one visit
- Which graft type fits your gums, and where the tissue comes from
- Whether growth factors from your own blood are added to support healing
- Any follow-up visits to check the graft
- How your dental plan handles gum grafting, since coverage differs by plan
Care at Perio One
At Perio One in Lafayette, Dr. Randal Comeaux, DDS, Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, places gum grafts. Every plan starts with an examination that shows which teeth need treatment and which graft type fits best.
Dr. Comeaux explains the findings and the graft options in plain language, including how the causes of receding gums shape the plan. We keep your general dentist informed, and referrals from any practice are welcome.
When to call us
- Sensitivity at an exposed root
- Recession that is getting worse
- Very thin gum near a tooth that needs a crown or orthodontic work
- After a graft: a fever, swelling that spreads or worsens after the first few days, or bleeding that doesn't ease with firm pressure. Call us right away, and if it's severe or swallowing or breathing is hard, go to an emergency room or call 911.
Our periodontists, Dr. Randal Comeaux and Dr. Lauren Langlois, can talk through what you’re noticing.
Call to scheduleWhat to expect
- Examination
We check which teeth need coverage and how much gum tissue you have to work with.
- Choosing a graft type
Dr. Comeaux recommends a graft type based on your gums, the number of teeth involved and your goals.
- The procedure
The area is numbed, the graft is placed and shaped, and it's held with fine stitches.
- The first week
Soft foods, gentle brushing near the site and avoiding tobacco protect the graft while it attaches.
- Follow-up
We check healing at a follow-up visit and remove any stitches that don't dissolve on their own.
Common questions
How long does a gum graft take to heal?
Tenderness usually settles within a week to ten days, and the graft continues to firm up over the following weeks. Full healing of the gum tissue takes longer, often several weeks in total.
Is gum graft surgery painful?
The area is numbed with a local anesthetic during the procedure, so you shouldn't feel it happening. Afterward, tenderness for several days is common, and it's usually manageable with the care your team recommends.
What can you eat after a gum graft?
Soft, cool foods like yogurt, eggs, mashed vegetables and pasta are easiest for about the first week. Hot, spicy, crunchy or hard foods are best avoided until the area feels less tender.
Do gum grafts last forever?
Many gum grafts hold up well for years with good care. Gums can still change over time with wear, grinding or new gum disease, so daily cleaning and regular checkups protect the result.
Is gum graft surgery worth it?
For many patients with an exposed root or thin gum tissue, a graft protects the tooth and eases sensitivity in a lasting way. Whether it's worth it for you depends on your goals, the alternative of the Pinhole technique, and what your exam finds.
How long does a gum graft procedure take?
Most procedures for one or a few teeth take about an hour. Treating more teeth, or using a graft type that includes a donor site, can take longer.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic: Gum graft surgery
- American Academy of Periodontology: Surgical procedures
- American Academy of Periodontology: Cosmetic procedures
This page is general education, not a diagnosis. Your periodontist will recommend care after an examination.