Ask The Doctor: Bone & Gingival Graft with a Periodontist

Earl Gage, MD

Kids Plastic Surgery, Mercy Children’s Hospital – St Louis, MO

Question: Our child is being referred to a Periodontist for a second bone graft and gingival graft for the upper front teeth. We have been told this is a more delicate surgery than the initial bone graft that the plastic surgeon performed 2 years ago. What kind of questions should we ask about the surgery and determining which doctor to use?

Answer: Thanks for your question. I presume from your question that your child had a cleft lip and palate and that the graft 2 years ago was to close the cleft in the alveolus or gum line. There are certainly times when re-grafting is necessary. Sometimes the first graft fails. Sometimes the graft “takes” but there is insufficient bone to allow a subsequent desired procedure, such as placement of a permanent dental implant. More often than not, the re-grafting procedure is essentially the same as the first surgery. With any bone graft surgery, it is critical that there be healthy soft tissue to cover and protect the graft as it integrates. Ideally, we want a water-tight seal around the graft. If the incision pulls apart or if there is a persistent open connection from the nose or the mouth into the space where the graft was placed, the graft is likely to become infected and fail.

Since children with craniofacial and cleft problems are more complex to manage than children without these types of diagnoses, I would first recommend that you ask your periodontist if he or she has experience in doing these types of procedures in kids with similar diagnoses. Experience and judgment matter. Secondly, I would be a little nervous about bone grafting and gingival grafting being done at the same time if the gingival grafting procedure will result in other incisions and soft tissue disruption near the site of bone grafting. Again, you want healthy soft tissue and a water-tight seal. Anything that may compromise this type of closure needs to be carefully discussed. I would spend some time talking to your periodontist about what’s involved with gingival grafting and whether it may put the bone graft at risk. Finally, once you meet with the periodontist, I would recommend you discuss the plan with your craniofacial surgeon to make sure they feel it is safe and makes sense.

Best of luck!