Tissue grafting can address receding gums, help prevent bone and tooth loss and improve the look of your smile if left untreated. Significant gum recession can cause bone and tooth loss and increase your risk for serious health problems like heart disease. Soft tissue allograft surgery is a type of soft tissue grafting that uses tissue from a donor bank. It's advantageous because your doctor can treat more than one area of recession in your mouth. At the same time the area is sutured and given time to heal. Your doctor will let you know how long this will take. When fully recovered, your gums will return to a healthy level that protects the underlying area from additional damage.