DO NOT manipulate any stitches at the GUM GRAFT SITE. These stitches are resorbable and will dissolve in 4 to 7 days. The HARVEST SITE will have either a liquid band-aid or resorbable stitches. The liquid band-aid will chip away over the next 1-2 weeks.
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.
Stitches may be placed in the area of surgery to minimize post-operative bleeding and to help healing. These stitches dissolve on their own within 3 to 7 days.
Every person heals differently. But on average, gum graft recovery takes one week to two weeks. If you had multiple areas treated at once, recovery might take a little longer. Your periodontist can tell you what to expect.
In most cases the dressing is left in the mouth for a period of 7-14 days and may be changed once or more by the doctor during this time. Try to keep the dressing in placed until your next appointment. If the dressing becomes loose or comes off, do not try to push it back.
Do not look at the surgery site after leaving here. Some areas may remain sore for 5 to 6 days. The grafts may be a whitish or grayish appearance for 4 to 6 days after surgery, but this is normal until full blood circulation is restored.
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.
A: You may resume brushing and flossing all teeth except the surgical area 24 hours after surgery. Avoid brushing the surgical area until your stitches are removed or have dissolved depending on the type of stitches placed for your procedure.
Although a gum graft is not considered major dental surgery, it is best to consult with a specialist (periodontist) for optimum results. Preventing the need for gum grafts starts with knowing why gum recession occurs: Heredity – You can't change who your ancestors are, but you can take steps to manage your oral health.
These stitches typically take 7 to 10 days to fall out. In some instances, it may take longer. Don't attempt to pull out the stitches on your own unless your oral surgeon has given you the go-ahead. If you see any signs of infection, call your dentist or oral surgeon immediately.
Most sutures will dissolve or fall out on their own after 2-7 days. Depending on the procedure and the number of stitches required will determine how long they will take to dissolve. Different types of sutures may take up to two weeks or more to dissolve.
Stitches. Stitches will dissolve by themselves and do not need removing, but it is important that 3–4 days after surgery you start brushing the sutures away to minimise food trapping. When the tooth is removed the roots leave a 'socket' in the bone. This hole in the gum may last for up to 3 months.
Since they are made of natural materials like processed collagen and some synthetic materials that your body can easily break down, they are completely safe and will not irritate your gums or other areas of your mouth. In most cases, the wound will be completely healed by the time they dissolve.
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.
Hard foods – chewing may dislodge the gum graft. Chewy foods – even vegetables. Although they are healthy, they may require more chewing than is recommended as you heal from your surgery. Hot foods –they will burn your gums, increasing sensitivity and pain.
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.
Recovery. 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.
Recovery from Gum Graft Surgery
While every patient recovers at their own pace, swelling usually resolves completely by the tenth day. This again depends on the extent of the procedure and post-operative compliance. To keep swelling to a minimum, patients alternate ice 20 minutes on and 20 minutes.
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.
Patient may experience pain, described as a constant dull ache or sharper pain during mastication or speaking (movement of oral and peri-oral tissues). Patient experiences anxiety over procedure and perceived lack of success.
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.
Typically, the white stuff is granulation tissue. It is essential to the healing process of the extraction site. Other times, the white stuff is pus or a dry socket. A dry socket is often painful, and it occurs when the blood clot does not form correctly.
Because the “tunnelling” gum graft approach is minimally invasive, your new gum graft will be a natural pink color and look so natural, most of our patients cannot even tell which teeth were treated and which were not.
I had surgery this morning and one of my stitches already came out, is this OK? Answer: Yes, in most instances, the stitches are placed at the time of surgery simply to assist with initial control of bleeding and clot formation. This is especially true with wisdom tooth surgery and other tooth extractions.