There is no need to be scared of getting a gum graft. An anesthetic is usually administered at the start of the treatment, so there is no pain involved. Most patients only deal with mild soreness and discomfort afterward. This can generally be managed with over-the-counter or prescription painkillers.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
8. Exercise: Avoid strenuous exercise or lifting weights for the 1st week after surgery. You may walk or ride a bike carefully. 9.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Someone whose teeth are healthy
There is no reason to perform a gum graft for a tooth that is very loose or severely damaged. Instead, any tooth problems must be treated before undergoing the gum grafting procedure.
Gum graft patients should visit the market prior to the surgery to stock up on soft foods prior to the procedure. Grocery shopping is not something you'll want to after gum graft surgery when you should be relaxing and recovering. Patients should follow a soft-food diet for the first few days following gum grafting.
The average cost of gum graft surgery ranges from $600 to $1,200 per tooth. If gum contouring is performed to give the gums a more attractive appearance, it may add several hundred dollars to the total cost. Additional factors that impact the price of gum grafting include: Number of teeth being worked on.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The process of receiving a gum graft requires that you receive local anesthesia to numb the areas of your mouth that will undergo surgery. If necessary, you may also be eligible to receive sedation dentistry to help keep you calm throughout the procedure.