Gum Graft Surgery and Recovery

Your dentist might recommend a gum tissue graft if you are affected by receding gums. The roots of your teeth get exposed because of gum recession. The exposure can cause the root surface of your teeth to become likely to decay besides sensitivity and prone to abrasion.

Gum grafts, also called gingival grafts, help correct receding gums. You can undergo gum graft surgery in Ajax, ON, because the procedure is straightforward. When performing gum grafts, the professional from this facility removes some tissue from the roof of your mouth, or nearby healthy gum tissue to attach it to the area where your comes have worn. The procedure is relatively quick, allowing you to leave the dentist’s office soon after completing the process.

Please keep reading to learn more about the preparation, what happens during the procedure, and tips for your recovery.

Preparing for Gum Graft Surgery

There are three types of gum grafts, including free gingival graft, connective tissue graft, and pedicle graft. Your dentist will discuss the options with you and recommend one of the procedures based on your specific needs.

After you decide to undergo the procedure, you don’t have to fast or diet before your procedure. Instead, you merely show up for your gum recession surgery, and your specialist will confirm the type of graft scheduled for you.

However, you must arrange for a ride to and from the dentist’s office because you receive medications for pain and discomfort, making it unsafe for you to operate vehicles.

Expectations During Gum Grafting

After arriving for your appointment, you receive local anesthesia to numb the area of the procedure. Rarely the specialist provides general anesthesia to render you unconscious during gum grafting. However, it isn’t recommended because of the risks associated with general anesthesia. Depending on your specific needs, your specialist performs one of the following:

• Free Gingival Graft: the specialist removes a tiny piece of tissue from your mouth’s roof and stitches it to the area needing gum tissue. This procedure is optimal if you have thin gums and need additional tissue to prevent further recession.
• Connective Tissue Graft: the specialist opens a tiny flap in your mouth’s roof to remove a piece of connective tissue from beneath the top layer of tissue. They will stitch the removed tissue to the area needing gum tissue. Connective tissue grafts are the most familiar types of grafts.
• Pedicle Graft: Your specialist creates a flap of tissue from the area neighboring your gum recession to use the flap to cover the site of the receding gum tissue. Gum tissue is moved over the recession with local tissue in this procedure. Pedicle grafts don’t cut off blood flow in any part of the mouth and are most successful. However, for pedicle grafts to succeed, you must have plenty of gum tissue in the area around your gum recession.

The procedure isn’t lengthy, and after stitching the grafts, the specialist has you wash your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash. They also discuss after-care instructions for the procedure until you have recovered.

Expectations during Your Recovery

You might be able to go home shortly after your procedure. However, in some cases, the specialists ask you to wait for a couple of hours to monitor you to ensure there are no issues with the grafting.

During the first couple of weeks after gum grafting surgery, you must eat soft and cold foods to ensure you don’t damage the graft during your recovery. You should refrain from eating hard and hot foods that might irritate or burn the graft.

The specialists recommend using an antibacterial mouthwash for a couple of weeks to avoid infections, plaque buildup, or problems with the graft. You must refrain from brushing or flossing the area until your specialist permits you to go ahead. You can use over-the-counter pain medications if you are dealing with any pain or discomfort. However, you must stay away from exercising or engaging in strenuous activities during your recovery.

Complications with gum grafting surgery are rare, but you must see your specialist if you experience any oozing or bleeding around the graft site. In addition, in rare cases, the graft tissue may not correctly adapt to the graft site. If it occurs, you might need to have the procedure performed again.

You might not like the appearance of the graft after your recovery. In such conditions, you can discuss gingivoplasty with the specialist because they can modify the tissue to make it appear more pleasing.

If you are affected by gum recession and want to improve your appearance, kindly schedule an appointment with Rossland landing dental care to receive this simple procedure.