AlloDerm Frequently Asked Questions
AlloDerm may be the answer to your gum tissue grafting dilemma, but there are usually questions about what AlloDerm is and where it comes from. We will quickly cover a few commonly asked questions about AlloDerm and why you may need it.
Why do you need Tissue Grafts?
You may need tissue grafts as a result of gum recession. Advanced gum recession is typically a byproduct of gum disease or infection. As gum infection progresses, the tissues that line and support your teeth, your gums, will be attacked and shrink down the sides of your teeth. This will expose “black triangles” and expose the roots of your teeth. This compromises the security of your teeth, and is often painful. It also makes patients more embarrassed of their smile, which has detrimental effects to self-esteem.
Why AlloDerm Grafts?
Traditional grafting harvests tissues from within the patients mouth, like the roof, where there is otherwise an abundance of tissue. However, this requires a secondary incision, and thus a secondary area of treatment and care. This also exposes the area to further complications during recovery, like infection.
AlloDerm Grafts provide an abundance of tissue, without any harvesting required on the patient’s part. This means your doctor can address multiple areas in your mouth requiring gum tissue, without having to pause or consider where to harvest the tissue from. Your doctor can reinforce multiple areas, and during your recovery you can focus on the primary areas affected, without worrying about a secondary incision site.
Frequently Asked Questions about AlloDerm
What is AlloDerm?
AlloDerm is a freely available tissue, sometimes called a Dermal Matrix, which has been harvested and processed to be free of cells.
Where does AlloDerm come from?
AlloDerm is a donated tissue. You can think of it the same way you think of a donated organ, it has been donated, processed, and kept using the same stringent procedures. The donation of the tissue has many requirements which must be met before the tissue is accepted. After the tissue is donated, it is processed to remove any genetic cells that were present, creating a safe and clean piece of tissue to act as a “plug and play” piece of the transport layer.
Is the Donated Tissue safe?
AlloDerm is incredibly safe. It has been used in millions of tissue grafts, and there has never been evidence of any sort of viral or disease transmission as a result of the tissue grafting. The only real concern with donated tissue is what happens when it enters your mouth’s ecosystem, namely whether or not existing infections will spread to the new tissue.
How does your body assimilate the AlloDerm Tissue?
Once the tissue is placed, it will become a piece of gum tissue. It will become a part of the blood transport layer, which will provide similar coloration to your other gum tissues. The tissue will become occupied with your DNA and cell tissue, which will make it part of your mouth. Within some recovery time, you will not be able to tell where the donated tissue begins and your original gum tissue ends.