gum graft recovery, what is normal?

UPDATE:  I spoke to my doctor and he said I should definitely not be having any pain at this point, so he prescribed me a stronger antibiotic (Clindamycin) which I have taken before and it destroyed my intestinal tract.  I had diarrhea for a month after taking it last summer for an abscess.  I guess the reason my recovery has been so terrible is that the antibiotics I was taking either were bad, ineffective or just not strong enough.  I don't know, but I hope this antibiotic works, because my jaw is swollen and throbbing.  Overall, so far, this has been a bad experience.  I just hope after the infection clears that the gum graft is ok and doesn't need to be re-done. 

I had only one day of pain, the day of the surgery.

Your surgery sounds like mine. Upper and lower, right and left on the same day! My mouth and face was so swollen I was unable to go to work. Looked like the Elephant man.

The AlloDerm did not work at all. I have no root coverage. Did you Dr. tell you that you would have the roots covered? And when the stitches come out, I would like to know if your recession is any better. ( coverage).

I'll let you know. I'm supposed to get the stitches out in 2 days, but because of the infection, he might leave them in. The antibiotics are helping, but my gums are still super swollen. I hope the whole thing isn't a failure because of the infection. Sorry to hear yours didn't work.

Hi! I had my two front teeth graphed, using the tissue from the top of my mouth. Today is day 6 and the roof of my mouth is very very tender and was bleeding in the middle of the night. I still can't eat solid foods( a little  rice and small bits of bread! Not chewing just swallowing) I am suppose to get the stitches out in two days but am worried that maybe e graph didn't take to the lower teeth. I have a high tolerance for pain and really can't stand the fact that the roof of my mouth is throbbing so much! 

 

Any advice would be great thanks! 

cajunboy wrote:

Quote:

I had only one day of pain, the day of the surgery.

Your surgery sounds like mine. Upper and lower, right and left on the same day! My mouth and face was so swollen I was unable to go to work. Looked like the Elephant man.

The AlloDerm did not work at all. I have no root coverage. Did you Dr. tell you that you would have the roots covered? And when the stitches come out, I would like to know if your recession is any better. ( coverage).

I'll let you know. I'm supposed to get the stitches out in 2 days, but because of the infection, he might leave them in. The antibiotics are helping, but my gums are still super swollen. I hope the whole thing isn't a failure because of the infection. Sorry to hear yours didn't work.

Hope your graft was successful. Did it end up covering at least some of the exposed roots?

Would you mind recommending your periodontist? I'm really needing to get this done but terrified about who to go to.



Thx!

Daniela wrote:

Guest wrote:

I am having this procedure done on Friday 5/6/11. I had the same procedure done 10 years ago and can say that using the Alloderm is much easier because you don't have the pain of the incision at the donor site in the roof of your mouth. The important thing is to take sedatives the night before and another 1-2 Ativan 1 hour before the procedure. They will also most likely have you take anitibiotics the night before and until they are all gone twice a day since you are using donor tissue. Be sure and put ice (a bag of peas or baby limas beans work great) wrapped in a towel right away. Apply to the side of your face where the work was done 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. Also, be sure and take pain medication BEFORE the novacaine wears off - you will have minimal pain. Don't let all of these stories frighten you - it is better than having your teeth fall out! Good luck!

Would you mind recommending your periodontist? I'm really needing to get this done but terrified about who to go to.

Thx!

My experience: I went to the self proclaimes "AlloDerm Queen". She does the most in Mass. and people come from as far as Europe. She also teaches lectures on AlloDerm.

BUT: She did all of my teeth except for the front two teeth and out of 28 teeth only ONE was covered.

She says that coverage is not the goal in the first place. After $10,000 I would think that all of that pain and suffering would have allievated my sensitivity by covering the exposed roots.

I just had a gum graft using Alloderm and what my oral surgeon refers to as the tunneling method.  I have to say I was very nervous having read some horror stories on various sites.  But my surgery was literally painless, except for the pain from the novocaine shots -- I felt nothing.  The surgery did take a full two hours, so that was a bit exhausting. I iced the area every 1/2 hour as I was instructed to do and was also given a prescription for a steriod that also helps reduce swelling.  I am happy to report (I had this done on Friday) I had almost no swelling and was only on pain medicine (800 miligrams of Motrin) for one day.  I know my surgeon learned this technique directly from Dr. Allen who I think pioneered it. 

Oh my gosh!!! I cannot agree with others on this blog more.  I had my upper teeth grafted with Alloderm on 9/11/13.  The procedure lasted two hours and I was only given a local anesthetic which began to wear off during the placement of the stitches.  I woke up at home a few hours later in the most pain I have ever experienced!  I've had kidney stones, a slipped disk and two miscarriages which did not compare to this hell.  My face swelled up like some kind of alien and is still not back to normal.  My smile is altered by a "frenectomy" and the pulling of the tissues and swelling.  I still cannot eat and I feel like I'm starving.  I've lost 8 pounds already.  The graft looks terrible--still white with blue stitches.  I talk for a living and am so embarrassed I cover my mouth when I talk.  This is horrible!!!  I would never have gone through with this if I had known the outcome.  I feel taken advantage of by my dentist.  The procedure cost over $4,000!!!!  Don't do it.  This procedure is not acceptable.

How long did it take for swelling to go down? I had three upper teeth and one bottom on left side done with alloderm and the gum is swollen and still covers almost all of the teeth. I feel like Frankenstein.

I just had Alloderm gum grafting done 3 days ago. The surgery itself was almost painless. They had to numb me up again halfway through, because I started feeling tingles. Overall, being pumped with a bunch of novocain was the worse part. I had both molar sides worked on. My face started to swell the day after surgery, and started to bruise later on the second day in the evening time. Today, the third day, my face is really swollen and my bruise either got a little bigger, or my swelling face stretched it. Lol i don't know. I'm taking Prednisone (steroid) to stop swelling, antibiotics, and ibuprofin at a high dosage for pain, if needed. The pain is not bad So I only take it once a day, maybe. 

I had alloderm on front tooth three weeks ago. Had no idea I would have white blob! I can't smile and cover my mouth from embarrassment. How long until I look normal?

I agree with you. I'm on day 14 and still have my stitches, suppose to get them out on Monday. I have white areas which are freaking me out! I was black and blue plus swollen for 10 days! NEVER AGAIN

Mine has a white blob too! It's been 6 days. Did this go away? How long did it take?

I had the back three teeth done on my upper right jaw using Alloderm.  During the surgery, my Perio became visibly frustrated for a while and later told me that he had a hard time with the stiches in the rear of my mouth due to scar tissue from a past jaw surgery.

Six days after the surgery, I noticed a slight putrid smell and taste coming from the site.  The next day, the smell was stronger, noticeable to others, and was starting to make me nauseous.  Thankfully my follow-up appt was that day and the Perio told me that the stitches were loose on part of the graft and that portion had died.  I could barely breathe as he pulled out that part due to the awful smell!  

Unfortunately, my now exposed molar is extremely sensitive and painful to cold, where I had no sensitivity at all before the surgery.  I also fear that the remaining graft is also dead and he is just leaving it in as a last ditch effort to save face and not make the surgery a complete failure.  It looks very unpleasant and "gooey" and I can still slightly smell rotting tissue.

Obviously, I will have to go back for him to address (at least) my molar.  Should I expect to pay for another surgery, or is it now the Perio's responsibility for the cost since his first attempt failed?  Thanks!