Sarasota’s gum grafting specialists
Gum Grafting: Restore Your Smile's Natural Frame
You have noticed it in the mirror: your teeth look longer than they used to. Maybe your gums have crept up over the years, exposing the yellowish root surfaces that were never meant to be seen, or perhaps you have developed sensitivity to cold drinks, or are simply unhappy with how your smile looks. You are not imagining things, as gum recession is real, it is progressive, and without treatment, it only gets worse.
Here’s what most people don’t realize: receding gums aren’t just a cosmetic concern. The exposed root surface is softer than enamel, making it vulnerable to decay. The recession creates pockets where bacteria accumulate, accelerating bone loss. Left untreated, gum recession can eventually cost you your teeth—not from cavities, but from losing the very foundation that holds them in place.
The good news? Gum grafting can stop recession in its tracks and restore what you’ve lost. At Misch Implant & Aesthetic Dentistry, Dr. Maggie Misch-Haring performs these delicate procedures with the precision that only a board-certified periodontist can offer. And because we’re a specialist practice with all experts under one roof, your care is seamlessly coordinated from diagnosis through long-term maintenance.
Understanding Gum Recession: Why Your Gums Are Pulling Back
To solve the problem definitively, we first need to identify the root cause. Below, we explain the factors that contribute to this process so you understand exactly what is happening with your smile:
What Causes Receding Gums?
Gum recession is a somewhat slow and gradual process that can result from multiple factors, sometimes acting alone and often working together. Understanding the cause helps us plan a treatment that addresses not just the recession itself, but the underlying issue that created it.
Aggressive brushing is one of the most common culprits we see. You have been told your whole life to brush well, so you scrub hard using a stiff-bristled brush, and over years and decades, this wears away the delicate gum tissue. The irony is painful: your dedication to oral hygiene has damaged the very gums you were trying to protect.
Periodontal disease (gum disease) destroys the tissue and bone that support your teeth, and even after successful treatment, the damage often remains visible as recession. If you have been through scaling and root planing or periodontal surgery, you may be left with healthy but receded gums
Genetics play a surprisingly large role, as some people simply have thinner gum tissue that is more susceptible to recession. If your parents dealt with receding gums, you are more likely to face the same challenge, regardless of how well you care for your teeth.
Teeth grinding (bruxism) places enormous stress on your teeth and the surrounding structures, meaning the constant pressure can push teeth out of alignment and accelerate gum recession, particularly on the biting surfaces.
Misaligned teeth or bite issues create uneven forces that wear down gum tissue in specific areas, and sometimes orthodontic treatment itself, if not carefully managed, can contribute to recession.
The Warning Signs You Shouldn't Ignore
Gum recession often progresses silently, but there are telltale signs if you know what to look for:
- your teeth appear longer than they used to
- you notice a notch or groove at the gum line where the root is exposed
- hot or cold foods trigger sharp sensitivity
- your gums bleed easily or have pulled away from certain teeth more than others
If you are noticing any of these signs, don’t wait, as gum recession does not reverse on its own. The earlier we intervene, the more tissue we can preserve and the better your outcome will be.
Finding the Best Gum Grafting Techniques for Your Case
Not all gum grafts are the same, and the technique we recommend depends on how much recession you have, how many teeth are affected, the thickness of your remaining tissue, and your aesthetic goals. During your consultation, Dr. Maggie will evaluate your specific situation and explain which approach will give you the best result.
Connective Tissue Graft
This is the most common technique for treating gum recession and is often considered the gold standard. We take a small piece of tissue from underneath the surface of your palate (roof of the mouth), specifically the connective tissue layer that is rich in collagen and growth factors, and transplant it to the recession site. Once done, the tissue is tucked under your existing gum and sutured into place.
The connective tissue graft works exceptionally well because it provides a robust foundation for new tissue growth, and during the healing period, your body integrates the graft and generates new gum tissue that covers the exposed root. The result is a natural-looking gum line that is thicker and more resistant to future recession.
Best for: Moderate to severe recession, single or multiple teeth, patients who want the most predictable long-term results.
Free Gingival Graft
In this technique, we take tissue directly from the surface of your palate and place it at the recession site, and unlike the connective tissue graft, we are using the outer layer of gum tissue rather than the deeper connective layer.
The free gingival graft is particularly useful when your primary goal is to add thickness and create a more stable band of attached gum tissue, focusing less on covering exposed roots and more on building a protective barrier that prevents future recession.
Best for: Patients with very thin gum tissue, areas where the primary goal is preventing future recession rather than root coverage.
Allograft and Tissue Banking Options
For patients who prefer to avoid a donor site on the palate, or when we need to graft multiple areas and your palate tissue is limited, we can use processed donor tissue from a tissue bank, which is an allograft material carefully tested and treated to be safe for transplantation.
The advantage is obvious: no second surgical site means less discomfort and faster recovery, although the downside is that allograft tissue may not integrate quite as robustly as your own tissue in some cases. Facing this challenge, we will discuss the pros and cons honestly and help you decide what makes sense for your situation.
Best for: Multiple recession sites requiring treatment at once, patients who want to avoid palate discomfort, cases where palate tissue is insufficient.
The Pinhole Surgical Technique
This minimally invasive approach involves making a small hole (pinhole) in the gum tissue above the recession site and then using specialized instruments to loosen and reposition the tissue downward to cover the exposed root. Small collagen strips are placed through the pinhole to stabilize the tissue in its new position.
This technique offers the advantage of no incisions, no sutures, and faster recovery, although it is not appropriate for all cases, particularly severe recession or situations where the tissue quality is poor.
Best for: Mild to moderate recession, patients seeking minimal downtime, cases with adequate existing tissue quality.
What to Expect from the Gum Grafting Procedure
Transparency is part of the care we offer, so here is the complete step-by-step of the gum graft, from the initial consultation to final healing:
Your Initial Consultation
Every gum grafting case starts with a thorough evaluation where Dr. Maggie will examine your gums, measure the depth of recession at each affected tooth, assess the quality of your remaining tissue, and review your overall periodontal health. We will take photographs and may use our CBCT scanner if bone loss is a concern.
It is important to remember that this is not a rushed appointment, as we want to understand not just what is happening with your gums, but why it happened, so we can address the root cause and prevent recurrence. If aggressive brushing caused your recession, we will teach you proper technique, and if bruxism is a factor, we may recommend a night guard.
Day of Surgery
Gum grafting is performed in our Sarasota office under local anesthesia, and most patients choose to add IV sedation for complete comfort, which means you will be relaxed and will not remember the procedure.
The surgery itself typically takes one to two hours, depending on how many sites we are treating. For a connective tissue graft, we begin by preparing the donor site on your palate and harvesting the tissue, and then we prepare the recipient site, carefully positioning the graft to cover the exposed root and create natural contours. Precise sutures hold everything in place while healing occurs.
Shortly after, you rest in our recovery area until the sedation wears off, and then a family member or friend drives you home. We will send you with detailed post-operative instructions, prescriptions for pain control and antibiotics, as well as our direct number in case you have any concerns.
Recovery and Healing
The first week requires some adjustments to your routine: you will eat soft foods and avoid the surgical area when chewing, and the palate donor site (if used) typically feels similar to a pizza burn, uncomfortable but manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers after the first few days.
Most patients return to work within two to three days, although you should avoid strenuous exercise for about a week. The grafted area may look white or slightly discolored initially, which is normal, and in the following weeks, the tissue gradually takes on a pink, healthy appearance as the blood supply establishes.
Full integration takes several months, but you will see significant improvement in the first few weeks, and we will schedule follow-up appointments to monitor your healing and ensure everything is progressing as expected.
Gum Grafting Cost: An Investment in Lasting Protection
We believe in complete financial transparency so you can plan with confidence. Below, we detail the investment required to restore the health and aesthetics of your smile:
What Does Gum Grafting Cost?
Gum grafting
$800 to $1,800 per tooth
Price range depending on the technique used and the complexity of your case, and treating multiple adjacent teeth in a single session often reduces the cost per tooth.
This investment includes your consultation, the surgical procedure, all necessary materials (including allograft tissue if used), local anesthesia, and follow-up appointments during your healing period. IV sedation, if desired, is an additional cost.
What You Are Really Paying For
When you choose a board-certified periodontist like Dr. Maggie Misch-Haring for your gum grafting, you are paying for expertise that directly impacts your outcome, since periodontal plastic surgery is delicate work, where the difference between a skilled specialist and a general dentist attempting the same procedure can mean the difference between complete root coverage and a graft that fails.
Furthermore, you are also paying for the value of long-term prevention. A tooth lost to progressive recession, and the implant or bridge needed to replace it, costs from $4,000 to $8,000 or more, so protecting that tooth with a $1,200 gum graft is one of the smartest investments you can make in your dental future.
Insurance and Financing
Some dental insurance plans cover a portion of gum grafting when deemed medically necessary, although coverage varies widely. In any case, we are happy to provide documentation for you to submit claims for out-of-network reimbursement.
We also work with healthcare financing companies that offer 0% interest plans for 12 to 24 months for qualified applicants, as we believe financial concerns should not prevent you from getting the care you need.
Why Choose Misch for Gum Grafting?
Your health demands precision and care. See how our specialized approach makes all the difference in the quality of your final result:
Board-Certified Periodontist Expertise
Gum grafting is not something you would want performed by a generalist. At Misch, your procedure is performed by Dr. Maggie Misch-Haring, a board-certified periodontist with advanced training specifically in soft tissue management and periodontal plastic surgery, and she didn't learn gum grafting in a weekend course, but rather in years of specialized residency training focused exactly on these procedures.
Sedation Options for Complete Comfort
We understand that periodontal surgery can seem intimidating, and that is why we offer IV sedation for patients who want a completely relaxed experience. You fall asleep, wake up when it is over, and remember nothing of the procedure itself, having the same level of sedation comfort you would receive at a surgical center, but available right here in our Sarasota office.
All Specialists Under One Roof
What happens when Dr. Maggie notices something during your gum grafting consultation that requires restorative work? At most practices, you would be referred out, wait weeks for an appointment, and start explaining your history all over again, in a long and tiring process.
At Misch, Dr. Harry Haring (Prosthodontist) and Dr. Craig Misch (Oral Surgeon) are right down the hall, so if your recession is related to a failing crown that needs replacement, or if bone grafting is needed before we can address the soft tissue, we coordinate your care quickly and seamlessly. One family of specialists, one treatment plan, and no referral runaround.
Gum Grafting FAQs
It is natural to have questions, and for this reason, we have gathered the answers to the most common questions, ensuring you feel fully secure and informed about every stage of the treatment.
Does gum grafting hurt?
During the procedure, you will be completely numb and most patients add IV sedation for complete comfort. Afterward, expect moderate pain for three to five days, with most patients describing the palate donor site as the most uncomfortable part, similar to a bad pizza burn. Prescription pain medication controls this well for the first or second day, and then over-the-counter ibuprofen is usually sufficient.
How long does a gum graft take to heal?
Initial healing takes about two weeks, during which you will see the grafted tissue begin to integrate and take on a healthier appearance. Full maturation of the graft takes three to six months, during which the tissue continues to strengthen and blend naturally with your surrounding gums.
Can receding gums grow back on their own?
No. Once gum tissue has receded, it does not regenerate naturally and without treatment the recession will continue to progress, with gum grafting being the only way to restore lost tissue and cover exposed root surfaces.
How long does a gum graft last?
A successful gum graft is a permanent solution, as the transplanted tissue becomes part of your body and remains indefinitely. However, if the underlying cause of your recession is not treated (aggressive brushing, bruxism, untreated gum disease), you may develop new recession in the same or different areas.
Am I a candidate for gum grafting?
Most patients with gum recession are good candidates, with the best results occurring when we treat the recession early, before bone loss becomes severe. During your consultation, Dr. Maggie will evaluate your specific situation and inform you if grafting is appropriate or if another treatment should come first.
What is the success rate of gum grafting?
In experienced hands, gum grafting has a success rate exceeding 90%, with the key factors being proper technique, appropriate patient selection, and good post-operative care. It is worth noting that smoking significantly reduces success rates, which is why we strongly encourage patients to quit before and after surgery.
Schedule Your Gum Grafting Consultation
If you have noticed your gums receding, your teeth looking longer, or sensitivity that was not there before, do not wait for the problem to get worse, as gum recession is progressive and the sooner we intervene, the more of your natural tissue we can preserve.
During your consultation, we will evaluate your recession, explain your options, and create a personalized treatment plan. There is no pressure and no obligation, just an honest conversation about what is happening with your gums and what we can do to help.
Office Location:
Misch Implant & Aesthetic Dentistry
120 South Tuttle Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34237
Serving patients from: Sarasota, Longboat Key, Lakewood Ranch, Siesta Key, Bradenton, Tampa, Fort Myers, and across Florida.