The gums are one of the essential parts of the mouth. They protect the jaws from food and germs and support the teeth. The pathologies that can suffer are gingivitis and periodontitis that can usually be prevented with a simple and correct maintenance of oral hygiene.
What is mucogingival surgery?
Mucogingival surgery, also called periodontal plastic surgery, is a concept that encompasses a wide range of surgical techniques aimed at treating gingival deficit, either in volume or height, around teeth or implants, as well as excessive gingival enlargement or hypertrophy.
In the case of a graft, where is it obtained from?
When the surgical technique to be performed requires the placement of a gingival or gingival graft, the donor areas par excellence are the palate or the retromolar tuberosity area, the gingiva behind the last upper molar. There is also the possibility of using other biomaterials, whether of animal or human origin, but from the point of view of effectiveness, palatal tissue is the most reliable for use as a graft.
Who are the patients for whom it is intended? What pathologies can it treat?
In dentistry, mucogingival surgery is aimed at a series of very specific situations:
- Patients who have gingival recession, what is commonly said as “my gum has receded”, and a very thin type of gum in natural teeth.
- Patients who lack gum thickness in the implant already placed or in the one to be placed.
- Patients with gingival enlargement or hypertrophy that partially covers the natural teeth and prevents proper oral hygiene.
What care should the patient take after the intervention?
After a mucogingival surgical procedure, one of the key factors, among others, for its success is the stability of the operated tissues. This implies following a soft diet during the postoperative phase; control of dental plaque in the operated area by rinsing, without using a toothbrush until the stitches are removed; antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medication; following a regimen of “active rest” and, in general, avoiding all maneuvers that may involve undesired mobilization of the operated area and tissues.
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