Keeping your head elevated above your heart will also help. Most swelling can occur in the morning and up to 3 days after surgery. Avoid sleeping / laying on the side that surgery was performed. Two days after surgery, moist heat will help resolve minor swelling.
During a gum graft surgery, your periodontist will: Give you local anesthesia. This numbs your teeth and gums in that area. Many periodontists also offer sedation dentistry options for your comfort, including nitrous oxide, oral sedation and IV sedation.
AVOID PEROXIDE, ALCOHOL, CARBONATED BEVERAGES, AND DRINKING THROUGH A STRAW. After 24 Hours. You may have soft foods, such as cooked vegetables, fish, pasta, and meatloaf, which are easily chewed. You should use utensils and avoid chewing at the surgical site for 2 weeks.
For patients who are not using donor grafting material, the healing process typically takes around 7-10 days, although most pain and discomfort should begin to alleviate and disappear within 2-4 days.
For 3 days after your surgery, DO NOT spit, smoke, rinse hard, drink through a straw, create a “sucking” action in your mouth, use a commercial mouthwash, drink carbonated soda, or use an oral irrigating device.
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.
Fluids should be consumed as soon as possible. It is recommended that you drink 6-8 glasses of water over the remainder of the day following surgery. Avoid using a straw as it may cause suction, which may loosen the blood clot and cause bleeding and loss of graft.
Gum grafting is a highly safe and effective procedure; it has been tested and proven successful in treating countless cases of receding and thinning gums due to aggressive brushing and gum disease. Still, complications and infections may occur, especially without proper post-op care.
Suture Removal
You may notice increased discomfort 3-4 days after the surgical procedure. As the tissues begin to heal, they may pull against the sutures and dressing. You may choose to take some form of pain medication one hour prior to your suture removal appointment to minimize tenderness.
You 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.
Avoid any hard, spicy, crusty, coffee or acidic foods. Chewing should be done on the side opposite the surgical site.
Avoid extremely hot foods for the rest of the day and do NOT rinse out your mouth, as these will often prolong the bleeding. If bleeding continues, apply light pressure to the area with a moistened gauze or moistened tea bag. Keep in place for 20-30 minutes without looking to see if bleeding has stopped.
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.
Many patients will say it's about a 6-7 out of 10 on a 1-10 pain scale. The reason it's more painful is that they harvest the donor tissue from the surface of the roof of the mouth. This leaves the underlying gum tissues completely exposed and therefore in pain.
A gum graft is a surgical cosmetic dentistry procedure during which your periodontist takes synthetic tissue or tissue from your palate to replace gum tissue that is receding from your teeth. It is often used on patients with periodontal problems caused by: Severe gum disease. Vigorous brushing.
With a gum graft, you can expect it to remain in place for a lifetime, but you will need to take care of your oral health on a daily basis. This means brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush and being mindful of how much pressure you're using while brushing.
Avoid Talking (As Much As Possible)
Talking causes your mouth's muscles to stretch, which, in turn, can loosen up the gauze and increase the chances of bleeding. Refraining from speaking is hard, but try to remain silent as much as possible for the first two to three days after gum grafting surgery.
Your oral surgeon will use plenty of anesthetic and possibly sedation to keep you as comfortable as possible. These can take some time to wear off in some cases, which can cause you to feel tired for the rest of the day.
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.
For two or three days following a gum graft, eat soft and unsticky foods.
Don't brush the grafting area or otherwise disturb it during the first week of healing. During the second week after surgery, use an extra-soft toothbrush that your dentist provides, a special brush for post-operative cleaning for use ONLY around the area where the graft was placed.
In fact, there are several soft food options that can help you through your recovery period. Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, fish, soft bread, pudding, canned fruit, rice, oatmeal, and yogurt are all excellent choices.
Usually, you can tell you have a failed gum graft because you will have a large white patch of white tissue that has come off the tooth. Sometimes it may even look like the gum graft is falling off.