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.
Glossary
Palatal implant
A palatal implant is a special type of oral implant that is designed to relieve snoring and other disturbing symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. Although a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is considered the “gold standard” of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, palatal implants are showing more promise, especially for patients who are unable to sleep well wearing a CPAP and either pull it off in the middle of the night or don’t wear it at all because it’s uncomfortable. In some cases, a palatal implant is used as a first-line treatment. A palatal implant changes the characteristics of the soft tissue of the palate, stiffening it and altering how air flows around it. The device is a group of three cylinder-shaped braided polyester filaments that are implanted permanently into the soft palate, which will relieve snoring by changing the flow of air through the nose and mouth and into the lungs.
Palatal Vault
The palatal vault is the curvature of the maxillary palate, also called the hard palate. The growth of the maxilla (upper jaw) and the hard palate is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors, and begins transversely. Then, it grows in length and finally in height. The overall shape of the palatal vault can impact chewing and swallowing, sucking, breathing, and language articulation. Narrow or high palates are associated with a variety of health conditions, and oral habits like thumb sucking can cause structural abnormalities in the palate over time. The hard palate is of particular significance to orthodontists, who often need to modify palatal dimensions of dental orthotic devices, such as retainers or dentures, to provide the best fit to patients. The height of the palatal vault increases with age, and male palatal vaults tend to be higher than those of their female counterparts of the same age.