If your gum graft failed, you'll probably notice a large patch of white tissue that has come off of your tooth. Its lack of color means that the gum graft lost blood supply and is dying.
Gum graft failure often happens when gum tissue in between the teeth has also receded. Long-term root coverage can be hard to achieve.
You can always reattempt to have your gum graft redone. You need to wait at least 3 months after your failed gum graft to make sure the tissues have properly healed and matured after your initial surgery. An attempt to redo a gum graft too soon won't allow you to have the most optimal response.
You will know that the graft is healing when the swelling subsides and the soft tissues are shrinking. Your gum tissue will begin binding to the root surface and bone. Then, new blood vessels will begin to form to enable blood flow to the graft. This stage takes four to six weeks from surgery.
Graft Healing
These failures rarely cause pain however do cause psychological distress to the patient. It was important to reassure the patient at this stage that such failures can occur. Fortunately they are rarely complete failures and some keratinised tissue cells remain.
Most patients will be fully healed from a gum graft procedure within two weeks but could take up to a month. A follow-up appointment with the doctor a week after the procedure will be needed to ensure the graft was successful and patient is properly healing. After two weeks, regular flossing and brushing can resume.
The gum graft is held in place with very delicate sutures and takes 5-7 days to attach firmly. Repeated pulling back of the cheek, lip or tongue to look at the graft, can cause the graft to move during the first 5-7 days after surgery, which can cause the graft to fail.
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.
You will know that healing has begun when the soft tissues are shrinking and there is less swelling. The gum tissues gradually starts to bind to the root surface and nearby bone surface as well. New vessels will also start to form and the tissues will receive enough blood supply.
You will feel a burning sensation for the first few days, and the discomfort lasts about 14 days. If swelling or tissue removal results in an exposed bone, the healing period may last longer than two months.
Graft failure can be caused by factors such as: Poor formation of the graft union due to problems with anatomical mismatching (when the rootstock and scion tissue is not lined up properly), poor grafting technique, adverse weather conditions and poor hygiene. Mechanical damage to the graft union. Graft incompatibility.
During the normal healing process, the gum graft site goes through many color changes. It will get red and puffy, then white or gray with sloughing for up to two weeks. The tissue will change to pink or the natural color of your gums as the area heals.
If it just won't stop, call. Food Stay on a soft diet, chew away from the grafted tooth/teeth and avoid any foods that would be more likely to get stuck in the gum graft site, such as corn, popcorn, nuts, and seeds (fruits like strawberries have seeds). Do this for up to 2 weeks.
Full recovery from gum graft surgery takes a few weeks. Your body will have to work its way back to full strength in gradual and deliberate steps. Take time off from your exercise routine and other heavy physical activity for at least 5 days after surgery and even more if you need it. Use ice packs for swelling.
WHAT DOES A FAILED SKIN GRAFT LOOK LIKE? Compromised or failed skin grafts are characterized by continuous pain, numbness, fever, discoloration, redness, swelling, or a breakdown of tissue. The most obvious sign of an unhealthy skin graft is darkening skin that lacks the pink appearance of healthy skin.
The gum tissue will undergo changes for the next 1-2 weeks. The graft color may change from pink to white. This is NORMAL. Then the color will change to red and then back to pink as the swelling decreases.
Gum Tissue Graft: When to Call the Doctor
Call your dentist if you experience any unusual symptoms following surgery, including: Bleeding that won't stop after applying pressure for 20 minutes. More pain, swelling, and bruising than your dentist said to expect.
This white material is usually granulation tissue, a fragile tissue composed of blood vessels, collagen, and white blood cells. Granulation tissue is a normal part of your body's healing process and is not cause for concern.
If you notice a “bump” on the inside or outside surface where the graft was placed, don't be alarmed. It is normal and doesn't necessarily indicate the presence of an infection. Leave the bump alone – do not feel the bump or play with it with your tongue.
Following your gum grafting surgery, you can expect to feel some discomfort, especially on your palate (the roof of your mouth). The tissue at the graft site may feel tight, and the graft itself will look very red and may go through several color changes as it receives a blood supply and heals.
The cost of gum grafting starts at $1200. There are other factors, like the severity, that may increase the cost. Remember, we have payment options available to suit your budget. Remember, your gums may recede over time so it's important to keep regular dental appointments so your dentist can keep track of this.
As the gum tissue heals, the sutures will loosen. This is a normal process but if you cut the suture, it will unravel and you will lose the graft.
Occasionally, the graft tissue may not attach to the graft site properly. This is very rare, but if this happens a person might require repeat surgery. Some people do not like the way their smile looks after their gum graft surgery.