What is a Periodontics CTG?
Often abbreviated as CTG, a connective tissue graft is a treatment technique used to enhance the gum tissue in areas where it has receded, exposing the tooth roots, or where the tissue is thin and the roots are particularly visible. Connective tissue grafts are placed underneath the existing gum tissue, creating a natural appearance and consistent color palette while providing optimal coverage and protection for the tooth root. Tissues for a CTG are usually taken from the gingival and palatal tissues behind the upper front teeth and are placed behind incisions in the gum tissue, which is sutured back together and allowed to heal. Connective tissue grafts may be used alone or in combination with regenerative fibrin or protein therapies.
One of the more common causes for gum recession is gum disease, which, as it advances and develops into periodontal disease, destroys the gum tissue as well as the connective, dental, and bone tissues in the mouth and jaw. When treated early, gum disease can be reversed, but once it has progressed enough to destroy living tissue, it can be stopped but not reversed. Treating periodontal disease requires removal of diseased and dead tissue, which can result in shortened gums. The gums can recede for other reasons, too, and some people simply have naturally thin, delicate gum tissue. Connective tissue grafts have proven to effectively, durably, and predictably treat recession of the gums in many different clinical cases, especially in areas where the gum tissue is exceptionally thin and other surgical options might not work as well.
Usually, connective tissue graft procedures take about an hour. Once the gums have healed, they’ll be noticeably stronger and healthier looking than they were before, sealing snugly around the teeth and keeping them protected from invasive bacteria and plaque. If you experienced tooth sensitivity because of receded or thin gum tissue, CTG treatments can nip this in the bud, too. In more recent years, technological advances have helped create innovative, less invasive approaches to replenishing gingival tissue to cover root surfaces and revive the appearance of the gum line. VISTA soft tissue grafting is one such innovation. The acronym VISTA stands for vestibular incision subperiosteal tunnel access. For a VISTA graft, a tiny hole is made in the gum tissue and a tunnel of tissue is loosened along the root surfaces that need to be covered. Once the tunnel has been created, it is filled with tissue from the tissue grafting site, plumping the existing tissue while maintaining the symmetry of the gum line.
To maintain board certification, and to keep themselves familiar with exciting developments in the field, all dental specialists undergo periodic professional development trainings. This includes periodontal specialists, whose techniques combine aesthetic skills with precise medical ones; the periodontist is responsible for restoring the gum tissue in a way that is medically beneficial and aesthetically attractive, and practice makes perfect. If you’ve been told that you need connective tissue grafts or if you believe your gums are receding and could use some boosting, you and your dentist can get the conversation started, and you can proceed with confidence that there’s an expert solution available to you.