How Long Does It Take Gum Grafting to Heal?

Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures can make daily life very uncomfortable. A lot of patients find themselves avoiding some of their favorite foods because their teeth are too sensitive. If this is you, you may have gum recession. Gum recession can be caused by periodontal disease, overly aggressive brushing habits, prescription medications, and even genetics.

If left untreated, gum recession can eventually lead to root decay,  jaw bone loss or even the loss of teeth. To treat gum recession, your dentist can perform a simple procedure called gum grafting. Gum Grafting Alexandria VA will restore the health of your gum tissue and ensure that your teeth are healthy for years to come.

If your dentist is unable to perform a gum graft for you, they can easily refer you to a periodontist that can perform the surgery for you! Here, we will review what you can expect during the procedure and during recovery.

During Gum Grafting Surgery

Your doctor will apply a topical numbing agent to the area or areas to be worked on. They will then administer a local anesthetic before proceeding with the surgery. Once you are sufficiently numb, your doctor will either harvest tissue from the roof of your mouth or use a donor tissue to cover the affected area. The new tissue is sutured in place and the harvested area is closed.

After surgery, your doctor will review your post-op instructions and give you some directions for at home oral health care.

Recovery From Gum Grafting Surgery

You will need to make a few modifications to your daily habits as you heal from gum graft surgery. For starters, you will need to stick to soft foods for a few weeks and your oral hygiene routine will need to be tweaked to accommodate your new surgery site.

For at least two weeks as you recover, hot foods, crunchy and spicy foods, high acidity foods, and foods with small seeds need to be avoided. All of these little factors can irritate your surgery site.

Some good food options include but are not limited to:

• soup that has been allowed to cool
• scrambled or soft boiled eggs
• soft cooked vegetables
• smoothies
• milkshakes and ice cream
• well-cooked pasta
• Jell-O

It is important that you also refrain from any exercise or other strenuous activities until you have been cleared by your doctor.

Brushing and flossing should be done but with extreme care. Avoid the surgery site until your doctor says that you are healed enough to clean the area normally, this may take a couple of months. Brushing or flossing the area before it is ready could lead to the reopening of the site and prolong your healing time. Your doctor may have you add an antimicrobial mouthwash for a few weeks to help prevent infection. Make sure that you still act mouthwash that does not contain alcohol! You may also use a warm salt water solution, this is especially helpful after eating as it will soothe your site and clear any food debris.

Most patients are able to manage the pain with over-the-counter pain medications. Make sure that you avoid aspirin, which can promote bleeding. If you feel that you are experiencing more pain than you can tolerate, contact your doctor so they can get you into the office to examine the area and prescribe pain medication if necessary.

Complications After Gum Graft

On a rare occasion, a patient may develop an infection. If you notice unusual bleeding or any fluid using from your surgery site, contact your doctor right away. Another possible complication is the failure of the graft. If the new tissue fails to integrate, you may require a second surgery. This is also rare.

More information on Gum Grafting : Recovery from Gum Grafting