Alloderm

Today, I am having gum graft surgery. I have raging periodontal disease, which has resulted in recession of my gums. The grafting helps restore some of the tissue so there is more protection for my teeth and the bones that support them.

Here's the intriguing part: I am getting Alloderm, which is basically donated human tissue with all the parts specific to the donor removed. That is, only the collagen matrix is used-- all of the donor's "personal" cells have been removed. So there is almost no chance of rejection or infection.

[Aside: know what tissue Alloderm comes from? Foreskins. Try not to think about it too carefully].

The procedure is to slit open my gum, insert a piece of Alloderm, pull the edges back together, and sew them shut. Over a few weeks, my body will grow its own cells into the Alloderm matrix, effectively thickening my own gum tissue.

It sounds gross, and it does hurt a bit, but I've had it done before. And it really works. I won't be able to eat crunchy foods for a while (or even solid foods for a couple of days), but it's worth it. They do one side at a time, so at least I've got half my mouth intact for careful chewing. It takes some concentration to eat this way!

Just an hour from now...

I made sure to enjoy my granola and Grape Nuts for breakfast!