Gum grafting recoveryThe pain and discomfort that you feel will vary depending on your oral health. You will most likely be prescribed antibiotics as a preventive measure after your oral surgery. Healing usually is quick. Most patients are fully healed in just one to two weeks.
Pain may occur following a periodontal surgery that involves the opening of a flap, gingival grafts, or gingivectomy/frenectomy procedures. Postoperative pain experienced within the first 3 days after surgery is considered normal and should progressively diminish throughout the healing phase.
The swelling may last for 5 to 7 days. Once the swelling starts to go down, your face may bruise. The bruising could last for up to 10 days after your surgery. On the FIRST day after surgery, put a cold compress on the swollen area.
What works for gum pain?
- Saltwater rinse. Warm 1 cup of water on the stove (not to boiling — just warm) and pour into a cool glass.
- Compress. Try either a hot or cold compress to help reduce pain.
- Herbal poultice.
- Homemade dental spray.
- Teabags.
- Oral anesthetic gels.
- Over-the-counter pain killers.
Dr. Caplanis has perfected his techniques to the point where periodontal surgery is generally a painless procedure. Local anesthetic is administered to completely “numb” the area to be treated. Periodontal flap surgery for a single quadrant in the mouth is quick and usually only takes about 45min to complete.
Gum contouring can also be part of a periodontal treatment plan to help restore optimal oral health. Laser gum reshaping is a permanent dental procedure. Any excess gum tissue that is removed to reposition the gum line and reveal more of the teeth will not grow back.
Receding gums are a common condition. Even with good oral hygiene habits, aging and genetics can still cause gum loss. While your gum tissue can't grow back, there are many treatment options that can help stop or slow down the process.
The first nonsurgical step usually involves a special cleaning, called “scaling and root planing,” to remove plaque and tartar deposits on the tooth and root surfaces. This procedure helps gum tissue to heal and periodontal pockets to shrink. This is sometimes referred to as “peri- odontal cleaning” or “deep cleaning.”
Lowdown on Gum GraftingYou may not notice your gum line receding at first because it happens so slowly. But eventually, the exposed root will become sensitive to hot and cold temperatures. Then you'll notice it! And, down the road, if you don't repair the gums you could lose teeth.
One of the more popular alternatives to having a traditional gum graft performed is a newer procedure called the Pinhole Surgical Technique. Much like orthoscopic/laparoscopic surgery, this minimally invasive procedure corrects gum recession by making a small hole in your gumline.
When gum grafts fail, they may peel away, or recede from, root surfaces. You will notice exposure of these surfaces and gradual recession over time.
A gum graft, also known as a gingival graft, can correct receding gums. Your dentist may refer you to a periodontist, a gum specialist, for this simple surgical procedure.
The gum grafts rarely looked natural, even after they had healed, and the whole process was very uncomfortable and painful for the patient.
If there is no evidence of root coverage (CTG) or of a zone of keratinized gingiva (FGG), retreatment will likely be required. In this instance, contact a periodontist. Success or failure of graft will be determined by the periodontist or the operating surgeon. Failure happens in less than 2% of cases.
Before starting the gum graft, the periodontist will administer a local anesthetic to numb the area so that the procedure does not hurt. They may also lift some of the existing gum away to expose the root of the tooth and clean it.
The gum grafting procedure has a 90% success rate, therefore patients can feel confident the procedure will benefit them. Recovery from this procedure normally takes 4-6 weeks, during which patients will be asked not to brush or floss near the newly repaired area.
Mouthwash can be used to control bad breath and reduce cavities. It can also help to combat conditions such as receding gums, gingivitis, dry mouth, and plaque buildup. Mouthwash should be used in addition to brushing and flossing. It's important to use a mouthwash that has the ADA Seal of Acceptance.
STITCHES: Stitches (if present) will dissolve in approximately 7-10 days. They may come loose or fall out before your first post-operative visit.
If the periodontist is using tissue from a tissue bank, for example, a person should feel minimal pain. If they remove the tissue from the roof of the mouth a person may feel pain for a few days. The healing process is often quick, taking 1 to 2 weeks for the mouth to heal fully but may take longer.
The recovery time after the surgery and the discomfort that a patient feels varies from one person to another. Generally, it will take somewhere from one to two weeks to fully heal after having a gum graft procedure.
3rd day until 2 weeks after surgery: A very soft food diet should only be eaten (Pasta, soups, eggs, fish, cooked soft vegetables, oatmeal, rice, beans etc.) Avoid any hard, spicy, crusty, coffee or acidic foods. Chewing should be done on the side opposite the surgical site.
Do NOT eat spicy, crunchy, or hard foods. Cut up your foods and eat them with a fork. Do NOT bit into foods like apples, sandwiches, pizza, bread, etc. You will be given an appliance called a stent following your surgery.
Do Not Plan Anything for At Least Three DaysYou should be able to resume light activity and even return to work after the first 24 hours, but because you'll be eating less and should avoid talking, it's best to stay home and off your feet for at least three days if possible.
For soft tissue “gum” grafts, the site(s) may appear white during the healing process (up to 2 weeks), this is normal and not a sign of infection. The tissue will change to a pink color as it heals.
In most cases, this white material is granulation tissue , a fragile tissue made up of blood vessels, collagen, and white blood cells. Granulation tissue is part of your body's natural healing process and isn't a cause for concern.
