3 weeks post op, gum has receded greatly. Will gum grow back around the implant once I get it almost a year from now? (photo)

Question

I was about to get braces to align my teeth before getting the top front 4 crowned (1 is already a crown from trauma & the others have very large fillings). Just before doing that, we found that the rightmost of the 4 had a fractured root. I opted for an implant so he extracted the tooth, did a bone graft, and placed the old tooth on the braces so it looks like I have a tooth there in the mean time. Says 6 mos for it to heal, then implant, & then another 6 mo to heal before final crown.

Ramon Peleaux, DDS, MD · Answer

Thank you for providing the the photos with your question.  What you are noticing is common after an extraction.  Without a tooth to support, the bone shrinks and the gum follows.  It was good that you had a bone graft place to help minimize this problem.  I can see that the gums are uneven as well when comparing your two front teeth.  An experienced periodontist can evaluate the architecture of your gums and offer options for possible grafting and shaping of your tissue before final restoration.  Your temporary should be changed once the implant is placed to aid in shaping the tissue.

Kathy Zahedi, DDS · Answer

Unfortunately, once gums recede they will never grow back. However, you can have a gum graft done. The contour of the gums will look better in the future.

3 weeks post op, gum has receded greatly. Will gum grow back around the implant once I get it almost a year from now? (photo)

Answers (2)