Most gum surgery procedures take around 2 hours to complete. In some cases, the surgery will require a person to be asleep or partially asleep during the procedure. Other times, the surgery only involves the use of a local anesthetic to numb the gums.
When arriving at our dental office for a gum grafting procedure, you can expect the entire process to take about 1-1.5 hours. While the surgery itself should take no longer than one hour, it is best to allow for extra time to ensure you are comfortable.
The actual gum grafting procedure is painless. This is because a local anesthetic is used to numb the affected area. A periodontist, who is a dental specialist in gum disease and the gums, typically performs this procedure. You may instead feel some movement or pressure as your periodontist performs the procedure.
Most patients are fully healed in just one to two weeks. Most people do return to work the day after their procedure though. After gum grafting, your teeth may feel more sensitive than usual. Desensitizing toothpaste or mouthwash can help with this discomfort.
During your gum graft surgery, you'll probably be awake like most people, or perhaps opt to be sedated. Most patients do not require anything more than local anesthetics to numb the area. Once the area is numb you will only feel slight applied pressure but will not feel pain or sharpness.
Is gum graft surgery worth it? Gum grafting boasts high success rates of over 90%. This procedure gives you the best chance of treating gum recession and improving your overall oral health. Left untreated, gum recession can result in cavities, severe gum disease, tooth mobility and even eventual tooth loss.
In some cases, it may be too late for gum grafting to save the gums. If your gums are severely damaged, receding so far back that they expose the tooth's root, or if there is significant bone loss from advanced gum disease, gum grafting may not be able to restore them to their healthy state.
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.
8. Exercise: Avoid strenuous exercise or lifting weights for the 1st week after surgery. You may walk or ride a bike carefully. 9.
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.
It's common to have some soreness in the surgical area for a day or so afterward. But you'll most likely feel well enough to return to your usual activities a few days after surgery. Still, you'll need to pay close attention to what you eat. Soft foods, such as mashed vegetables and pudding, are usually the way to go.
Typically, your gum graft should heal within 14 days. After that, you can resume eating as you wish. However, the only away to know for certain is by consulting with your periodontist.
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.
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.
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.
Some tissues in your body, such as epithelial tissue, grow back after experiencing injury. But your gum tissues do not regenerate like this. Once you have lost tissue meant to protect your teeth, it is forever gone.
Following oral surgery, we recommend that you sleep with your head and shoulders propped up above your heart level. Add an extra pillow or two to your bed or to the place where you will be resting. If you have a recliner, this is also an excellent way to keep your head elevated.
If you're going to have anesthesia, your dentist will recommend that you do not eat or drink anything for at least eight hours prior to your surgery. If you need to take medication, only use a small sip of water if necessary. Doing so will help you to avoid any risk of aspiration during surgery.
The swelling will typically peak 24 – 48 hours after surgery and will likely subside significantly after a week or so. You may notice major, sometimes even complete, improvement within ten days.
A local anesthetic will be used near the affected gum area. Your periodontist may recommend conscious sedation. You will be awake, but will have no anxiety during the surgery.
The surgical area will normally be tender for one to two days. Tissue for the gum graft is often taken from your palate but may be obtained from other sites or be 'store bought' in the form of manufactured collagen. This area takes one to two weeks to heal.
How many teeth need to be grafted? If you need many teeth in your mouth grafted and want to just get this procedure done once, then alloderm should definitely be considered. If you use your own tissue, the most teeth you can typically graft at once would probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of 7-8 teeth.
If the gums recede too much, it may result in bone loss, which can cause teeth to loosen or fall out.
Your dentist will open up the tissue at the exposed part of your tooth, and graft, or attach, the oral tissue to your gums. This'll take away the tightness, and give your gums some slack so that they more than adequately cover the root of your tooth, and make your smile great again.