Gum recession results in exposed tooth roots. Perhaps you wish to enhance your smile by covering one or more of these roots that make your teeth appear too long. Or, maybe you’re not bothered by the appearance of these areas, but you cringe because the exposed roots are sensitive to hot or cold foods and liquids.
Your gums may have receded for a variety of reasons, including aggressive tooth brushing or periodontal disease. You may not be in control of what caused the recession, but prior to treatment Dr. Doris Giraldo can help you identify the factors contributing to the problem. Once these contributing factors are controlled, a soft tissue graft procedure will repair the defect and help to prevent additional recession and bone loss.
What Is AlloDerm?
AlloDerm is donated human tissue that has been processed to remove donor cells leading to a regenerative tissue matrix. AlloDerm is processed by LifeCell Corporation and distributed in the dental market by BioHorizons.
How Safe Is AlloDerm?
AlloDerm is widely used in both medicine and dentistry for plastic and reconstructive surgery. Originally developed to treat burn patients. It is also used in:
- General surgery
- Urogenital surgery
- Orthopedic surgery
- Dental surgery
Since its introduction in 1994, over 1 million AlloDerm grafts have been successfully placed with no known incidence of disease transmission.
Donor tissue is extensively screened and tested for the presence of diseases and then undergoes LifeCell’s proprietary processing procedures to ensure that AlloDerm is virally inactivated before release for patient care.
After Surgery
Post-operative instructions can vary for each patient and must be consulted with Dr. Giraldo. Post-operative instructions could include but are not limited to:
- Surgical site may be covered with a dressing material
- Antibiotics prescribed to limit inflammation
- Medication prescribed to manage post-operative pain
- Surgical site should be left undisturbed; tooth brushing and chewing should be avoided at the surgical site.
