Gum graft before photo 1, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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Gum graft after photo 1, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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Gum Grafting in Hillsborough, NJ

Gum recession can be a serious concern, causing discomfort and risking the health of your teeth. While it can be prevented or managed in early stages, late-stage gum recession can seriously affect your smile. Gum grafts can restore length to your gums and allow you to live a healthier life.

Precision Dental Group offers gentle gum grafts using advanced technology. If you have been recommended a gum graft or are interested in the procedure, please call our office in Hillsborough, NJ, for a consultation.

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Before & After Images From Real Cases

  • Gum graft before photo 1, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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    um graft after photo 1, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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  • Gum graft before photo 2, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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    Gum graft after photo 2, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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  • Gum graft before photo 3, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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    Gum graft after photo 3, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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  • Gum graft before photo 4, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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    Gum graft after photo 4, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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  • Gum graft before photo 5, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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    Gum graft after photo 5, Precision Dental Group, Hillsborough NJ
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What is a Gum Graft?

A gum graft—also called gum rejuvenation or gum regeneration—is a periodontal procedure used to restore receding or damaged gum tissue that can lead to increased oral health risks, including tooth loss. When gums pull away from the teeth—often due to gum disease, brushing habits, genetics, or bite issues—more of the tooth root becomes exposed, which can lead to sensitivity, a higher risk of decay, and continued gum recession over time.

During a gum graft, healthy tissue is carefully placed in areas where the gums have receded. This tissue may come from another area of the mouth or from a specialized grafting material, depending on your needs. Once placed, the graft integrates with and thickens your existing gum tissue, which creates stronger coverage around the tooth and helps stabilize the gumline.

Gum grafts are performed to both protect oral health and improve comfort and appearance. By covering exposed roots, grafting can reduce sensitivity to temperature, help prevent further tissue and bone loss, and improve overall periodontal health. In many cases, patients also appreciate the more balanced, youthful, natural-looking gumline that comes as a result of this.

What Causes Gum Recession?

Gum recession can occur for a variety of reasons, often developing slowly over time. Common causes include periodontal (gum) disease, aggressive brushing, genetics, or teeth grinding. Recession may also result from orthodontic movement, trauma to the gums, or simply the natural aging process. As the gums recede, more of the tooth and its root become exposed, leading to sensitivity, an imbalanced smile, and a greater risk of decay.

At Precision Dental Group, we don’t just treat the symptoms of gum recession – we identify and treat the underlying cause to help prevent it from happening again. Using an intraoral scanner, we create a precise digital map of your gum tissue, and by overlapping scans taken over time, we can clearly track how your gums have changed and catch recession early.

The Benefits of Gum Graft

Gum grafts restore your health, protect your teeth, and support the overall appearance of your smile. By using your own tissue or donor tissue, this procedure creates long-lasting, natural results without synthetic materials. Benefits include:

Covering Exposed Roots

Covers exposed tooth roots, reduces sensitivity to hot and cold, and helps protect against decay along the root surface.

Restoring Gum tissue

Regenerates lost gum tissue and reestablishes healthy soft tissue attachment around the tooth, helping prevent further recession and bone loss.

PROTECTING YOUR TEETH LONG-TERM

By strengthening and stabilizing the gumline, grafting helps protect the roots and supporting structures that keep your natural teeth secure for years to come.

Enhancing Smile Aesthetics

Creates a more even, symmetrical, and youthful-looking gumline.

At Precision Dental Group, Dr. Christine Wong uses a minimally invasive surgical approach that helps your gums heal and regenerate more fully, and keeps post-procedure discomfort to a minimum.

Do You Need a Gum Graft?

We’ll only recommend gum grafting when it plays an important role in preserving your oral health. If gum recession is present, we will recommend a gum health consultation with Dr. Wong, our board-certified periodontist in Hillsborough. She will evaluate its cause, severity, and progression to determine whether a gum graft is the right solution for protecting your smile long term.

A gum graft may be recommended for several reasons, including:

  • Persistent or Worsening Gum Recession (Around Teeth or Implants): Gum recession typically doesn’t resolve on its own. Research shows that without treatment, most areas of recession continue to progress over time, and new areas can develop even where gums were previously healthy — which is why early treatment is usually recommended.
  • Thin Gum Tissue: Thin gum tissue is more prone to recession than thicker, healthier tissue. Treating it with a gum graft can help strengthen and protect it before problems develop.
  • Tooth Sensitivity: When gum tissue recedes, it no longer fully covers and protects the tooth, which can leave it more sensitive – especially to cold.
  • Exposed Tooth Roots: Tooth roots that have become exposed due to gum recession are more vulnerable to decay and damage. A gum graft can help cover these areas and protect the tooth long-term.
  • Inadequate Gum Tissue for Dentures or Other Prosthetics: Sometimes gum tissue needs to be thickened to properly support a partial denture, complete denture, or other dental prosthesis. A gum graft can help build up this tissue for a more stable, comfortable fit.
  • Uneven Gumline: An uneven gumline can affect both the appearance and function of your smile. A gum graft can help even out the gumline for better aesthetics and long-term function.

The Process for a Gum Graft

While each gum graft plan is personalized, the process typically includes:

  • A comprehensive gum evaluation to assess recession, tissue health, and contributing factors
  • Local numbing of the treatment area to ensure comfort throughout the procedure
  • Placement of healthy graft tissue over areas where the gums have receded
  • Stabilization of the graft so it can properly integrate with the surrounding gum tissue

This precise approach allows the graft to heal naturally, strengthening the gumline, protecting exposed tooth roots, and supporting long-term oral health.

Recovery from a gum graft is typically straightforward, though it does require some care. Most patients experience mild swelling or tenderness for a few days, which can be managed with recommended aftercare and temporary dietary adjustments. As the graft heals, the tissue gradually blends with your natural gums, strengthening the gumline and reducing sensitivity. You may need to have sutures removed after a couple of weeks of healing.

Precision Dental Group will personalize your care instructions, and you can call us if you have questions.

About the Doctor

Dr. Christine Wong, periodontist at Precision Dental Group in Hillsborough, NJ

Dr. Christine Wong, DDS

Dr. Christine Wong earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) at New York University College of Dentistry and was awarded the David B. Kriser Award for Compassion. She specialized in periodontics and implantology at her post-doctoral program and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, a credential recognizing advanced training and expertise in periodontal care and implant dentistry. She takes a minimally invasive, patient-centered approach to treatment, tailoring every plan to help each patient achieve the best possible outcome.

Testimonials

5.0 ★★★★★ 127 Google reviews

  • “The dentists, Dr. Edward Chu and Dr. Christine Wong, are very professional, warm, and very skilled. They also communicate with their patients very well. From cleaning the teeth, filling the cavity, installing crowns, and root canal treatment to implants, I’m very satisfied with their services..”

    Dolly P.

  • “Dr. Wong is very knowledgeable about her profession. I am truly grateful to have her to help with my implant. I’m strongly recommending her to anyone who needs outstanding services”

    Sherry W.

  • I was very pleased with the dentist. He was very thorough in explaining the results of the x-rays that were taken. He took his time and really listened to my concerns.

    Joan A.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gum Grafts

Most patients feel little to no pain during the procedure itself, since the treatment area is numbed beforehand. Some mild swelling or tenderness is common for a few days afterward, but this is typically manageable with the aftercare instructions your provider gives you.

Most patients feel back to normal within a few days, though the graft site continues to heal and blend with the surrounding gum tissue over the following weeks. Sutures are usually removed after about two weeks.

Depending on your specific needs, graft tissue may come from your own mouth, from human donor tissue, or from animal-derived tissue.

Yes. Gum recession typically does not resolve on its own, and research shows it’s likely to progress over time without treatment — which is why early treatment is usually recommended.

Gum grafts are designed to provide long-lasting results by restoring healthy gum tissue and stabilizing the gumline. Good oral hygiene helps protect those results over time, and your dentist can discuss what to expect based on your specific case.

You’ll likely be advised to stick to soft, cool foods for the first several days and avoid chewing directly on the treated area. Precision Dental Group will provide personalized aftercare instructions to support your healing.

Coverage varies by insurance plan and by the reason the graft is needed — grafts recommended to treat gum recession related to periodontal disease are more likely to be covered, at least in part, than grafts done for purely cosmetic reasons. Our team can help verify your specific insurance benefits before your procedure.

Heal Your Gums with Us

Gum recession doesn’t improve on its own, but a gum graft can restore your gum health, protect your teeth, and refresh your smile. If you’re noticing recession or sensitivity, call Precision Dental Group in Hillsborough, NJ to schedule a consultation with Dr. Wong.

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