gum graft after surgery

I heard the same thing--graft pulled back whatever that means. It was the worse of the four I had done--eye tooth so very noticeable! $3500 later.... She said something about having to do a "facelift" on the gums in 304 months. Pulling tissue from around the site. Gezz. Do I go around for 4 mos with a big white patch when I smile (if I ever do again)?

I have mixed reviews on this procedure...I was extremely anxious before the procedure. I took Xanax and listened to music. The procedure itself Is not that bad. I closed my eyes the entire time. They started out with numbing me which is a tad painful. And I also got the frenectomy of the lower lip. After I was completely numb they prepped the area (lower bottom teeth in the front) for abour 15 mins. I heard a lot of grinding and scraping but it wasn't painful ( I kept telling myself I was just getting a cleaning so I wouldn't panic). I didn't really feel any of the procedure and it generally wasn't that bad. The novicane started to wear off once the stitches were being put in so I requested more. I was told I need to get the stent. Here was my major issue. I didn't have stitching on the roof of my mouth just the stent covers it. I didn't realize that I would bleed so much. After the surgery my retainer filled up with blood. I started to get upset because I wasn't expecting that. I HATE TASTING BLOOD more than anything , I will literally vomit. After the surgery I stayed in the office for 10-15 mins gagging. I left to go get my meds filled ( ONLY ANTIBOTIC AND IBPROUFEN), while my husband was getting them filled, I started gushing blood again. I went back to the dentist office and basically told them they need to fix it. I was filing up a small cup with blood. They asked me if I normally bleed a lot or am taking any blood thinners. I said no. They tried to put in a clotting type of gauze to make my blood clot. After a little while it was better. The surgery isn't that bad. ITS THE RECOVERY. I took off work for the next 3 days. Eating sucks, you have to eat soft foods and liquids. I didn't have much PAIN. The major issue for me is the blood and tasting it. I was told not to take out the retainer and if I do just brush it and put it back in. I haven't really brushed my teeth fully yet and its been 5 days. SO GROSS AND DISGUSTING. I took out my retainer twice and cleaned it and let me tell you its the worst smell I have ever smelled. Its like rotting blood. I quickly brushed it and put it back in. I decided to take it out on the 5th day to clean it. This time I started gushing blood so I hurried up and put the retainer after it was cleaned back in. That is where I am at now. 5th day. Don't see the perio for another 5 days to get my stitches out. I am even afraid to take the retainer back out b.c its horrendous smelling and I don't want to bleed. I can't see how its healing not getting any air....but at the same time I want to throw up when I take it out. so I will just leave it in. I was surprised how much pain I DIDNT have its just the blood and cleanliness of the situation. I hope I am healing right.

DISSAPOINTMENTS WITH THE PROCEDURE:

I wasn't prescribed any mouth wash which I hear a lot of people are
The overall general cleanliness with my mouth
No stitches in the roof of my mouth
The bleeding

It's simple:

Free gingival graft: pain, pain, pain.

Connective tissue graft: you're chillin'

I did my research and went for the CT graft. Zero pain after slight discomfort directly after the procedure.

Swelling of upper lip decreased until it was gone completely a week later.

Ask your dentist if a CT graft is suitable in your case, guys.

Very painful is pretty accurate. I am 8hrs post op. I chose to use my own gum tissue from the roof of my mouth for the donor site. I honestly didn't expect the pain level to be this high. Taking my T3's as directed every four hours but my mouth is very tender and sore. Trying to sleep sitting up on my couch :(

Piece of cake? No, but less painful than I thought. I had my entire lower jaw done with Alloderm three days ago. 16 teeth at once. 4-3/4 hours of work. My DDS has done 2200 of these procedures. He's never had a graft fail. My pain rose to a 5-6 level the first two days when I did not stay on top of the pain meds. My bruising and swelling are bad and throbbing a lot until today when I have no paid/throbbing, headace, etc. I iced religiously for the first 3 days, 20 min. on, 20 min. off as they instructed and am sleeping almost sitting up (annoying). My doctor said I could take Arnica tablets and use the gel on my bruising and it has helped -- taking some of the bruising color away after just 2 days. Still on Medrol dose pack for inflammation, Amoxicillin (bad for my gut), soft foods and some newer Peroxase rinse that does not turn your gums black like the original Peridex. I will do it again, to protect my bone health and keep my teeth as long as possible. Have 6 more on top to be done in 6 months or so. Will definitely do it and be even more of a compliant patient next time.

I had gum serge ray three days ago on bottom front five areas and mine are also flapping and heart roof of mouth on one side stitch peeled back and I spit out two mouthfuls of blood. Phoned the emergency line for dental surgeon and got a machine. Still sketched out about it as I write this.

I could not agree more with this evaluation of a free gingival graft. Forget about the pain where the graft is actually placed - that's a doddle. The donor site on the other hand is excruciating. I am currently on day 7 and still no let up of the pain. Anything that touches it - my tongue, any drink including water, any food - sets off the most horrendous pain. It's so bad that every time you try and consume anything, the pain makes you feel sick, so you end up stopping. I've read elsewhere that it takes 2 weeks for this pain to ease somewhat. I'm counting the days.

I had a gum graft done two days ago, with tissue from the roof of my mouth. Just Novocaine, nothing else (lots of it, though). Listened to the Rolling Stones during the procedure, which helped. Aside from a little pain yesterday, I've been alright. Some bleeding here and there. The putty they put on the donor site moved around a bit, and now I can feel the stitches with my tongue -- but no pain there. Never needed the Vicodin.

Hi, I have a raw sore around where the bandages are and it's painful. Does it heal on its own after the bandages are removed? It's more painful than the entire procedure. Thx

The procedure is not bad at all. I put mine off for years worrying about it until my teeth were so sensitive that it felt like I had a constant toothache. I wouldn't hesitate ever again.

I am ending day five of my gum graft and I am still in agony!! I need to know when it will end. Besides for the intense burning pain from the "hole" carved into my pallete, I am so HUNGRY. All I can tolerate is ice cream or frozen yogurt and even that I have to chase with sipfuls of water (room temp of course) to quickly rinse out any residue the ice cream may have left in my hole. I just need to know when I will feel normal again. I am going on vacation in one week and I have a feeling it will not be very enjoyable. I just need to know when the palette will heal and when I will feel like a human and be able to eat, anything really again.

You can expect no pain during it. Ask your doctor to put a towel over you head so you can't see and try not to imagine what they're doing to your mouth. After a skin graph it your still numb you will think if this isn't bad but it gets really bad. Definitely don't take Advil because that's a natural blood thinner and that can make you uncontrollably bleed for 2 hours. To make the bleeding stop get normal caffinated tea bags. And put that over where the doctor took the doner skin from and push up for 15 minutes. That should stop it and if it doesn't call your dentist and ask for stitches. If it looks like a lot of blood don't freakout that makes it worse. Don't try to eat anything. Go to the storr and either buy pre made smoothies or get ingredients to make your own. When you swallow it make sure your mouth is open and don't gulp it sip it. Just be very careful with this procedure. It's worth it but it doesn't feel like it is

I've had three grafts. The worst was the one behind my lower two front teeth.For pain meds just 600 mg of advil every 4-6 hours on day 1 and 2. Lots of soup etc. In all cases the build up to the event was worse than the event itself. 

I had the gum graft done 11 days ago. I am a wuss, and opted to go under. So worth the extra money to me. My dr. does the flap and stitch method on the roof of the mouth. I didn't get the guard I had read about and panicked, but he said he could do it but we'd need to reschedule. I just wanted it done and figured I could wear my retainer if I needed.

Day 1 I felt like I was punched in the jaw. I took pain meds the first 3 days and had cleared my calendar so I could sleep and relax. Great excuse to catch up on some bin watching.  The 3rd day I left the house, and was quickly tired.

The worst was the oddness of it and the stitches. When I talked I could feel them unraveling at the top of my mouth from the graft donor site. Totally normal, but annoying. I talked with a lisp when I was around family because it was tiring and hurt to push the tongue to the roof of my mouth.

I did NOT look at the bottom at all, but could see a bit of whiteness on my teeth. This is totally normal.

Day 6 was easier without the stitches and the roof of my mouth felt much better. I was starving though! 

The next week I had a small piece of the white stuff come off. I panicked a little, but nothing else happened. That night I woke up at 3 am feeling a texture on my tooth. I thought my graph had come off and went straight to the dr after dropping off my kid before they even opened. They were awesome and got me right in. It is normal for a piece of the gum to come off. It is dead tissue. He detached it from the good tissue and told me everything looked good. He said stitches were about ready to come out, and I go in next week for that. 

The most annoying thing is not being able  to eat steak, burgers, pizza, popcorn.... but I'd rather be safe then sorry. This is an emotionally intensive surgery as you have to be careful to make sure the graft takes, and you do your part.

Oh, one more annoying thing is not being able to really brush my teeth around the graft, or able to use my electric toothbrush

 LIST OF FOODS TO EAT AFTER A GUM CRAFT

You want to be careful about what you eat, but you don't have to stick to just yogurt and soup. The first 4 days I was ll soups/yogurt/applesauce/cottage cheese...I became addicted to Miso soup. After that I slowly started to expand.

I thought we could share a list:

--Rice and bean bowl

--French fries

--cottage cheese / applesauce / yogurt / soups / ice cream 

--Itallian Icees

--Protein shakes

--Ravioli, cut up small

--Rice noodles

--Eggs

--soft cooked/boiled vegetable, cut up small

--Oatmeal (though I found it gets stuck in the bottom lip and stopped)

--Lasanga

--Tofu

--Cake

--Hummus (with a spoon or on a small piece of fresh bread)

--Toast with butter/jelly