Worried about gum grafting... Help please!

[wiza]

Hi guys, I went to see a cosmetic dentist yesterday for a gum graft, and he took one look at my gums and said he could do it - should he have taken a closer look?. I had planned on asking him how many gum grafts he had done in his career, etc. but it slipped my mind.

Another thing that worried me was that the nurse didn't seem like she had sat through a lot of gum grafts. She had to check with the dentist about whether it was okay to do grafts for two teeth in the same sitting.

Now I'm starting to wonder whether I would be better off finding an actual periodontist to do the gum graft instead. It's a pricey procedure and I want to make sure it's done right. The cosmetic dentist is very experienced and a very nice man, but I'm still worried.

 

[comfortdentist]

You have asked good questions. Gum grafting typically goes well with few serious complications. Like all surgeries there are complications but this one has a high success rate. It is reasonable to ask the dentist to see a few pictures and if he is willing to spend a few minutes discussing prior cases and what was done and why then that is a good sign.

I will also say that just because someone is a specialist does NOT mean it will always be done better. I have seen problems with specialists plenty of times however I will say I have rarely seen root canal problems with endodontists.

Anyhow, I think that ALL doctors should be comfortable with answering questions about the procedures and experience.