Gum Grafting in Lady Lake
Maybe you noticed it while brushing: a tooth that looks longer than it used to, with a notch near the gumline that catches the bristles and stings when you sip cold water. Many of our Lady Lake patients come to us describing exactly that — receding gums that crept back so slowly they went unnoticed for years. Gum recession doesn't reverse on its own, but it can be repaired, and gum grafting is the procedure we use to rebuild that lost tissue and protect the roots underneath.
Gum recession happens when the band of gum tissue covering a tooth root pulls back or wears thin. The causes vary: periodontal disease, aggressive brushing, grinding, thin tissue you inherited, or years of pressure from teeth that don't line up well. Once the root is exposed, it has no enamel to shield it, so sensitivity, decay along the root surface, and continued bone loss become real risks.
A gum graft adds healthy tissue back where it's missing. Depending on your situation, that tissue may be taken from the roof of your mouth or from a donor source, then secured over the exposed root and allowed to heal and integrate. The goal is to cover what's exposed, thicken the tissue so it resists further recession, and restore a gumline that looks even and natural. We perform gum-grafting procedures here at Ocala Dental Care, along with related periodontal care such as periodontal regeneration, crown lengthening, and cosmetic gum contouring — so if your situation calls for more than one approach, it can be handled under one roof.
Lady Lake sits an easy drive from our Ocala office, and we've cared for patients from across Marion and Lake County communities for more than 30 years. That matters with a procedure like gum grafting, because treatment isn't a single visit — there's a consultation, the procedure itself, and follow-up checks to confirm the graft is healing the way it should. We schedule those visits with your travel in mind and try to group appointments when it makes sense.
We also accept patients without a referral for periodontal care, so Lady Lake residents who've been told they have recession — or who simply noticed it themselves — can call us directly. We file insurance claims as a general practice, and because we offer a full range of dentistry, your grafting care can be coordinated with your cleanings, restorative work, or an implant plan rather than split between separate offices.
Who Benefits, and What the Process Looks Like
You may be a candidate for gum grafting if you have visible root exposure, ongoing sensitivity to hot and cold, teeth that look progressively longer, or a history of gum disease that has left tissue thin and fragile. Grafting is also used before or alongside other treatment — for example, to build durable tissue around a tooth that will receive a crown, or to prepare a site where bone grafting and dental implants are planned. Our dentists, Dr. Hussein Salifu and Dr. Marco Geris, evaluate the depth of recession, the health of the surrounding bone, and the condition of your gums overall before recommending anything.
Here's what Lady Lake patients can generally expect:
- A thorough exam and discussion of what's causing the recession, since treating the cause protects the result
- Treatment of active gum disease first, often with scaling and root planing, before grafting proceeds
- The grafting appointment itself, with local anesthesia and comfort options including nitrous oxide sedation or oral sedation when appropriate
- Specific aftercare instructions covering diet, brushing around the site, and any prescribed rinses
- Follow-up visits to monitor healing, followed by periodontal maintenance to keep the result stable
Aftercare is straightforward but important. For the first stretch of healing, we'll ask you to stick with soft, cool foods, avoid brushing directly over the graft, and skip anything that pulls at the tissue. Some swelling and tenderness are normal. Most patients return to regular routines quickly, though full tissue maturation takes longer and we'll check it at your follow-ups.
Insurance, Payment, and Getting Started
We accept all major PPO insurance plans and we're happy to help you understand what your plan covers for periodontal treatment before you commit. We also welcome self-pay and cash patients, and we offer flexible payment plans so the cost can be spread out rather than paid all at once.
If you're in Lady Lake and your gums have been receding, the best next step is an evaluation — recession tends to continue when left alone, and early grafting usually means less to rebuild. Call our Ocala office and we'll find a time that works for you.