Digital Precision: Why 3D-Printed Gum Grafts Heal Faster

Whether you’re receiving all-on-four, all-on-six, or another type of dental implant, gum grafting may be part of your treatment journey. 

Determining whether you might need this additional step before implants depends on the discussion you have with your provider, but at Ueno Center Dental Specialists, we always recommend 3D printing for gum grafting.

But why? Is it really better? Yes, and Jeremy K. Ueno, DMD, and the rest of our team  will happily give you the 411 on the many benefits of digital printing for gum grafts. 

Why you might need gum grafting before dental implants

All-on-four or all-on-six are special procedures we provide when patients need multiple implants and want them all at once. But even if you need only one tooth replaced, a dental implant can be an elegant and permanent solution you’re likely  to love.

But not everyone is ready for implants right away. Instead, gum grafting may be necessary so the implant will attach effectively. This is usually the case due to:

• Poor oral hygiene leading to gingivitis
• Brushing too aggressively leading to gum erosion
• Lacking enough healthy gum tissue in the area of the needed implant

Gum grafting is an effective procedure that is strong enough to support one or more implants and can keep your mouth healthy after gum erosion or disease. 

But the procedure has always been difficult on patients. Now, though, 3D printing is helping to minimize many of the problems with gum grafting.

3D printing for gum grafting: Is it really better?

3D printing has become an incredible resource for oral health professionals, offering us the ability to create tissue that matches the patient receiving it. This technology has been used widely since the early 2010s to provide this kind of treatment. But is it really better? 

For one, it offers so many possibilities and choices for providers hoping to treat their patients. In the past, gum grafting meant that you needed to receive donor tissue, which required a precise match and still could carry the risk of infection, or you needed to have gum tissue removed and redistributed.

This meant a longer, more painful recovery. But 3D printing makes these issues obsolete. 

3D printing utilizes specialized bio ink that imitates the makeup of your gums as well as your specific genetic material. There’s nothing else available that offers both of these benefits, creating a product that is literally built for safe implantation and quicker healing.  

In addition, we are able to add growth factors to the 3D-printed tissue. This cuts down on your recovery time and supports the entire healing process. And the printed gum grafts are more efficient, less wasteful, and freer from human error than if we used human tissue.

Finally, you can rest assured knowing we created every 3D-printed gum graft specifically for you. This means we don’t have to remove tissue from one place in your mouth as donor tissue for another. 

A huge part of the recovery from gum grafting is the healing that takes place where the donor tissue was removed.

Want to learn more about 3D printing for gum grafting?

We’re always happy to provide more information about this incredible and innovative treatment option. And if you’re looking to receive implants and already know that you’ll need gum grafting, find out why so many oral health providers are praising this effective technology.

We’re available at our Campbell, California, office to answer your questions, schedule an appointment, and help you begin your journey toward better oral health. Give us a call today, or visit us online. We can’t wait to meet you.