Alloderm®, a material that is classified as a is regenerative tissue matrix, is a type of acellular donor tissue that has been used in dentistry since 1994. Originally created for the treatment of burn victims, Alloderm® is essentially human skin matrix (mostly collagen) minus the skin cells. It is processed from donated human tissue that must pass the same stringent screening criteria as any other implantable tissue or organ (heart, lungs & kidneys, etc.), and has been a successful and extensively documented treatment option in the treatment of gingival recession for nearly 20 yrs. Whether you are a candidate for the use of Alloderm® (or similar tissue matrices) instead of your own tissue will be discussed at the time of your initial consultation. Many patients undergoing a soft tissue graft are candidates for Alloderm®, especially those with inadequate thickness of tissue on their palate or who may have bleeding issues that preclude the use of the palate as a donor site. However, specific criteria need to be met for the successful use of Alloderm®, and though the doctors at Florida Institute for Periodontics and Dental Implants have used it successfully for many years, it does not routinely replace the use of the patient's own tissue.