A palatal graft, or gingival graft, is a surgical procedure performed to establish an adequate amount of keratinized tissue around a tooth or dental implant. It can also be performed to increase the quantity of tissue of an edentulous ridge. This type of connective tissue graft often takes place prior to a dental implant. It helps provide stability and longevity to the implant by building up the amount of keratinized tissue surrounding it. Most patients experience pain or discomfort during gum tissue graft recovery though the severity varies from one individual to another. During the recovery period, patients are encouraged to eat only soft foods of moderate temperature that won’t irritate or burn the graft site. Though gum graft complications are rare, it is possible for an infection to form or for the grafted tissue to not properly adhere to the graft site. Most dental insurance plans will cover at least a portion of the gum graft cost.