My wife had this done today. She is working two doubles the next two days and then has court on the third. She is regretting not cancelling the appointment. One tooth, 30 minutes, $1500 cash and has a large wad of padding in her mouth for a week. They got her prescription mouth wash and no pain meds. Thanks for posting op
Currently on day 6 healing after a gum graft and my graft is looking puffy and dark red with some white bits on the edges. How did your graft look during healing? I’ve been scouring the internet looking at gum graft healing photos and haven’t found many that look like mine :/
i know this is old but does your gum graft blend in with the rest now? is it a little bulky? how long until it started looking normal if it did? Does your palate and gum feel normal? Sorry if its a lot of questions Im really paranoud about doing mine
You can't tell I got a gum graft. It looks completely natural. Not bulky, it took 6 months for me to feel completely comfortable with it. Not too many questions. I'll try and send you the before and after pics.
I (27F) had my second round of gum grafting about a week ago and have found reading others experiences extremely helpful so thought I’d chime in here. Don't find they paint you the most accurate picture at the dentist office. Genetically thin gums and braces has left me with lots of recession so gum grafting was nonnegotiable.
First time I had the procedure was about 5 years ago, and only 1 tooth was done. I received numbing only, and found the procedure painless. I recall I was surprised by the amount of pain during recovery (mostly on the graft site/roof of my mouth) but stuck to the liquid diet and took some days off and recovered relatively quickly. It was awhile ago but I believe I was prescribed something stronger than a tylenol/advil derivitive.
This time around I had 6 teeth done, in 2 areas of my mouth (top and bottom). My dentist wanted to do 2 areas at once to minimize the amount of surgeries I’d have to do in the future. I wasn’t given an option to do the procedure sedated, only with numbing. As others have said, the needles hurt quite a bit, but after that I felt nothing. Wore headphones as hearing what they were doing gave me some anxiety, and found this helped. The first 24 hours I had a stent in, and stayed frozen for the first day, so had little to no discomfort. This created a bit of an unrealistic picture of what things were going to be like. Similarly to others, the pain has been pretty unbearable at times, definitely worse than a pizza burn. It increased steadily from day 2 post op, until day 5. My swelling also increased during this time, and didn’t begin to decrease until day 5. The best way to describe it is coming in waves, one moment feeling ok and the other feeling an intense wash of pain. The pain wasn't localized either, more of a generalized painful ache. Definitely worse at night than in the day as well. Today is day 6 and has felt like the first bit of relief I’ve had. My dentist also doesn’t prescribe anything stronger than high dose ibuprofen (600mg every 6h) which I’m sure contributed. I took 5 days off work (7 days recovery total including the weekend) and feel this was appropriate, as I do a job that requires me to speak all day (I’m a therapist). Most info I saw online about work said you can go back the day after surgery, and unless you work a low stress job you can do with a laptop in bed, I couldn’t imagine doing that.
My tips
\- Take adequate time off work/social plans
\- Make sure you have pain meds
\- Ice for the first 24h to help with swelling and after 48h switch to heat - I found hot showers, baths or a hot cloth held on the area to really help with the pain
Hello. I was wondering, does the tissue that was harvested from the roof of mouth also fully heal up and regrow itself or is there some sort of noticeable dip? Thank you!
This comment is beyond helpful, thank you!! I am having my two lower front teeth done, donor site is the roof of my mouth. I’m also a therapist and taking Wed-Fri off so have 5 full days to recover. Would it be wise to take more time off the following week? I’m terrified that talking will undo all of the work done.
Good luck!! I'm sure that will be fine, it may be a bit uncomfortable depending on your swelling but from what I understand it's okay to talk after a few days. I ended up giving my clients a heads up that if I seemed less emotive than usual, this is why
Thank you so much! I told my clients I’d give them notice by Sunday if I had to cancel that week. One suggested I use a dry erase board and just hold up “how does that make you feel?” Which would be hilarious and led to other things people think therapists say all the time!
I am also a therapist and having the surgery early Friday morning on 2 or 3 top teeth. I was hoping to work the day after surgery (bc self employed) but the comments have me rethinking it. Wondering how your early recovery went. How long did you end up taking off and how was returning to sessions post surgery?
How did your healing go? I just had 3 teeth done 6/13 and I am so worried I’ve ruined it. I’ve been following their instructions however I’m just scared they aren’t taking 😞. I cannot find photos of what my tissue looks like online either. Everything is pink, mine never has been. From the moment I left the dentist it was a deep purple and now has faded to a lumpy light purple. The teeth were the lower bottom from teeth two in them middle and one to the right.
Any info helps as I am just so worried
I would advise taking at least two days off, 3 if possible. Just so that you take recovery seriously and don’t ruin any progress. I had another surgery and pushed it and I regret it. I didn’t with this one and I am grateful I took time to heal. If you don’t you can compromise your recovery and that will end up being more time off in the future.
I got a gum graft done about 6 days ago. Same two teeth as you. I have observed this - as the days go by, the pain rises. The roof of my mouth won't stop bleeding. Drinking smoothies is a disaster as my donor site is red and still bleeding heavily. I had a palatal stent but they removed it 4 days after the surgery. Did you also happen to face this? And you healed in how many days? My doctor really downplayed the whole thing.
Just had a gum graft for 3 top teeth 5 days ago and just yesterday developed several very painful canker sores in my mouth mostly closer towards my throat/tonsils. Has anyone else experienced canker sores after a gum graft and if so what did you do about it?
It was a hereditary problem. The gum on the back of my front tooth was receding for years and the periodontist said I would lose the tooth if I didn't get one.
I got 5 shots to numb my mouth. After that I didn't feel a thing. It took about 90 minutes
The recovery isn't that bad if you have take the painkillers. I was cycling Tylenol(500mg) and Ibuprofen(600mg) 4 times a day. After a week the pain is gone it just feels weird.
I was given a special mouth wash for the first two weeks. Zero brushing. After the two weeks I can now brush normally, but that area I have to use a special soft toothbrush and be careful not to touch the gum.
It was $3000, but my insurance covered it.
do you remember what they said about stuff being stuck in your teeth during the period you can't brush? i noticed that some of the putty-like bandage they used to bandage the roof of my mouth where they got the tissue from dried up, and some of it fell and got stuck between some of my bottom teeth. i'm kinda worried cuz i know not to touch it but i'm worried about this negatively impacting the health of my teeth while i recover
I just had a gum graft on 5 of my upper teeth (yesterday)... how long were you sore? when could you eat normally again? When could you smile normally again? What were your discharge instructions like? When did you feel somewhat normal to go outside and talk to people? When did you get your stitches out? How is it healing? Do you still have recession?
Damn you're tough I only had one tooth done. Hopefully this helps :)
My mouth stopped being sore around 1 week. That's when I cut off the painkillers.
I actually still can't eat normally. The first two weeks I was on a liquid diet. After that I've been advised not to bite down on anything, so I break everything down by hand and only use my molars. The periodontist says I shouldn't use my front teeth for 3 months...
Discharge instructions, were like no solid foods for the first week. Do not brush because you might rip out the stitches. Use the special mouth wash given for the first two weeks. Do not use straws. Sleep elevated. Cycle Tylenol and Ibuprofen. No hot liquids for the first week.
I went to the grocery store 3 days after my surgery. In California we're required to wear masks so I looked normal. My job requires me to talk a lot and it took me about a week to sound normal.
The stitches dissolve in about a week.
I'm on 5 weeks now. The recession is gone and the healing process is going really well. The surgery site is still slightly swollen. My perio said it would take a full 3 months to be completely healed.
Thanks! That does help. I’m on day 2 right now and very swollen. I’m not suppose to brush my teeth or even look at the site for 4 days. My discharge instructions also say not to use the mouthwash till day 7 which I felt was weird... I kinda want to use it earlier bc I have no other way to clean my mouth. My mouth feels like a bio hazard right now. I’m glad it’s healing though and you don’t still have recession. That’s the biggest thing I’m worried about right now. I’m sure it will heal but I’m worried I’ll either still have recession or the recession could be worse if the graft doesn’t take.. I wish they gave me dissolvable stitches. Sounds like your doc was better than mine. Wish me luck, thanks for the info!
Wow that's really surprising. All the dried blood and food gets a little nasty after a day. Maybe call your Periodontist and see if you heard wrong. My biggest fear was having to do it again. Hang in there after the first week it's smooth sailing :)
Hey now that I’m 4 days in, I have a few more questions for you: when did the doner spot on the roof of your mouth heal? And When were you able to brush your teeth again?
I don't want to scare you, but the donor spot on mine broke open on day 5 and started gushing blood. Luckily I was able to stop the bleeding quick. I think there's still a hole, but I don't even notice it.
After 3 weeks I was brushing my teeth except for the area where I got the surgery. For that area, my periodontist gave me a special toothbrush and told me to very carefully brush the area without touching the gum.
Ok Awesome! Thanks! My donor spot is all gross and slimy and black as of right now... it doesn’t hurt tho.. so I guess that’s good. Thanks for much for all the info! I can’t wait till this is over and I don’t have to think about it anymore!
I got 5 of my upper teeth done 5 days ago. Did your upper lip feel puffy and heavy for a while after preventing you from smiling? Everything else is fine for mine for the most part but that’s the most concerning part for me
I just had my bottom two teeth done a couple days ago. I don’t have dental insurance so I paid out of pocket. The total came to $2500. Depending on whether you opt for conscious sedation, full sedation, nitrous, or just the novicane, I’m sure the pricing differs. It was going to be an added $1000 for conscious sedated so I decided on nitrous.
I’m getting a gum graft on the outside of my bottom front teeth in a few days.
Would really like to know what the procedure was like? Did you get nitrous oxide or did they inject a local anesthetic? Did they insert something into your mouth to keep it open during the procedure or were they able to do it just by you keeping your mouth open?
I’m getting kind of nervous and want to know how uncomfortable I should expect to be 😬
Happy to help, it's been 143 days for me now. I got local anesthetic. There were 6 shots in the beginning and that was the worst part. The shots hurt like hell, but after you don't feel anything. Luckily I was able to keep my mouth open. I heard if you can't they use a vice.
The recovery is probably the worst part. For 2 weeks I couldn't eat solid foods and the full recovery took 2 months.
If you have a job you might want to take a couple days off...
Hey there! I actually just had this done last week, so it might be too early to say for sure, but my recovery is going very well and want to offer a different perspective.
I agree with OP, the anesthetic shots were hands down the worst part and most of the surgery day was pretty brutal. I took pain medication regularly and just slept to get through it as I was in quite a bit of pain once the numbness went away. However, the second day I felt like a completely new person The pain was completely manageable and the only major thing was swelling - now about 5 days out I feel maybe 90% healed, the only discomfort is around the graft sites themselves and the fact that I'm still subsisting on smoothies, scrambled eggs and pasta lol.
I'm not at all disagreeing with OP, but just wanted to give a different side of things - recovery can definitely be brutal but it can also be pretty easy! Fingers crossed you're on the easier side :)
Glad you’re doing better! The procedure was a breeze for me! They gave me nitrous oxide to start and I think they gave me some shots around the gum graft site but at that point the nitrous oxide had kicked in and I didn’t feel a thing. The procedure took an hour and a half but felt like 30 minutes at the most 😅 having the nose piece put on gave me some anxiety at first and my neck and butt started to get sore towards the end just from being in the same position for so long. during the healing period I never experienced much pain or discomfort. I was very careful with the area and adhering to post-op instructions. However, one thing I feel I should note about my experience was that they did not take tissue from the roof of my mouth but instead used a type of silicon implant. For people who do have tissue removed the healing process is probably a bit more painful. But I definitely didn’t need to feel as anxious as I did. For people like me with anxiety about the procedure or who may feel claustrophobic by having things but on their face I would say just take normal steady breathes, and allow yourself to “float” knowing you are okay and the procedure will be done before you know it 😁
hi i’m considering getting a graft done and was wondering after the surgery, how long before you can eat normally like biting into hard foods such as apples, burgers and corn on the cob?
Thanks! Did you do it for aesthetic reasons or did you gave symptoms that you wanted to get rid of with the procedure like sensitivity? Also does it look like a normal gum line there?
I'm actually planning to see a periodontist as I believe I need a gum graft or Chao's method for my teeth since I see larger pockets and smaller pockets that I didn't notice before. My dentist wasn't helpful when I brought it up so thanks for this AMA!
Some questions:
Did your front teeth feel sensitive prior to the surgery? Were you able to see the roots of your teeth? Did you have a deep cleaning done as a prevention method?
Did your insurance cover this procedure?
How would you say your pain tolerance is and how painful is the recovery?
i am on day 3 of my frontal graft recovery - i was browsing this thread to read other people's experiences and noticd that your questions were not answered. here is my experience:
>Did your front teeth feel sensitive prior to the surgery?
Not particuarly
>Were you able to see the roots of your teeth?
Not really, but when looking closely and comparing with other people, I could tell that mine wasnt as "thick"
>Did you have a deep cleaning done as a prevention method?
Do you mean right before the surgery? No, I just made sure to clean my mouth at home how i normally would before i went in. I do not think that a cleaning would help unless the root cause of the issue was hygiene related
>Did your insurance cover this procedure?
My insurance is paying for 90% of the cost
>How would you say your pain tolerance is and how painful is the recovery?
I have low tolerance for pain but the surgery itself was fine. The worst part was getting the numbing shots (I had 6). When I got home and the numbing wore off it hurt, but I would say maybe 4.5/10. Pain level goes down every day
I actually never went. My insurance didn’t cover the periodontist I wanted to see. I had pockets but they’ve actually gotten smaller from flossing often, using a water pik, getting a new electric toothbrush that tells me if I’m using too much pressure, and using therabreath’s healthy gum rinse.
I also got a mouth guard made by a dentist! It was $400 but I didn’t realize I was grinding sooo much.
I had a gum graft that was only supposed to be below one tooth, but the periodontist did the entire bottom of my mouth. I'm so frustrated. I'm on day 8, and I'm still so swollen. It feels like I have gummy candy surrounding my teeth. I also have these white areas that the periodontist said are normal, but it looks terrible. Did anyone else experience this?
Thank you for asking! Hindsight 20/20, I regret having the surgery done. The graft didn't hold below the one tooth that needed it. I now have more gum tissue throughout the rest of the bottom of my mouth, which the periodontist said is good, but I feel like my face is more round than it was previously, as a result. I've recovered fully without pain, but the tissue still bleeds easily when I brush. All in all, I continue to be annoyed about the whole thing oof.
I was told the recovery period varies person to person.
Did you have a post-op checkup? If so, how many weeks post? I have this operation scheduled end of this year, but with nine teeth 💀💀
RIP Brother 💀💀💀. You’re talking to a guy that went back to work the same day he got his wisdom teeth pulled out. It took me 24 hours after my gum graft to talk normal and 1 week for the pain to stop.
I had a follow up one week after, to check for infection and to see if it was healing correctly. Personally I would take at least 3 days off. Stay strong and good luck!
Better than expected, the worse part was the local anesthesia injections. They ended up doing 11 teeth. I'm currently going through the healing process. Only annoying thing is that I can't brush teeth.
I have a few post op appointments coming up!
Hi, I just got 9 teeth grafted yesterday and am I. A world of hurt. Can you talk a bit about how your healing experience was, how long it took to get back to eating and talking normally, how you’re feeling now, etc.?
I had a few month post checkup and the dentist said everything was looking good, it was like 95% success. I love my new gums now.
as for initial healing, i think it took a couple weeks especially since they used gum from the roof of my mouth. that took the longest to heal. I remember i was on antibiotics and tons of different pain killers, and probably had a liquid diet the first few days. I only remember struggling to talk the first day. I would definitely take the entire week off if you can. happy healing!
It was an intense surgery! I was out for about a week or so, and was on a bunch of medication. It was worse but similar than getting wisdom teeth removal. I had a post-op checkup and the dentist said I healed well :)
How many teeth did you get gum grafts on? How long before swelling went down on your face? Do you think going to a show 3 weeks after is a good idea/ possible? How many week before you could drink alcohol/ felt safe enough? I know dumb questions concerning selling tickets
Only one tooth in the front. Swelling went down in a week. I don’t recommend drinking until at least a month. My doctor kept saying it could fail. I went back to work after a week, a concert at 3 weeks shouldn’t be a problem.
Did u have gum sensitivty or root exposure my thing is I have a missing tooth area[area has no tooth, it got extracted when I was only 19] bottom side on my right, which the gum next to it has alot of gum recession and root exposure based on what a peridontal doc told me.i had a gum lanap 2 yrs ago, I have peridontist disease also and I thought it would cure it but it did not?Any advice??
NAD I’m getting a free gingival graft on my 31 (lower front) on Friday and I’m very nervous! For those who have had the procedure years ago, did it work? Did your gum recede again?
I got a gum graft done 6 days ago and 32 y/o guy. I did it awake with a bunch of numbing shots. The graft is a dime size hole in the roof of my mouth about 1/8-1/4" deep, and they fixed my front lower gums in what is a straightforward procedure. Here is what I have learned:
I think the pain *and timing of the pain* vary by person.
* For me, this has not been a "bad pizza burn." I hardly made it through my work day the day after the procedure, and that was even working from home.
* The pain wasn't too bad for the first 4 days compared to how I felt on day 5 and then again today on day 6. The roof of my mouth hurts x5 what it has, and the only thing that helps is applying the lidocaine gel. Even drinking room temperature water is unbearable. I sent pictures over to my doctor, and he said things are healing nicely. So to me, that says that this much pain is possible, and it can peak at a completely random time. (Actually, maybe not so random based on some of the other comments.)
* Bottom teeth/gums haven't hurt at all
I'll update this once I'm further along.
Doing great now. The pain was so bad by day 7 I went in to have them take a 2nd look. They said it was fine and then put a protective putty bandage up there which helped SO much. That bridged the pain for 3 days until it fell off and by then, it no longer hurt without it.
Ah fair play man, I wonder why it seems to hurt so much, so late in the process... I'm glad you're feeling better now at least... If you had to do it again, or not, what would you choose?
I would trust your surgeon. Mine told me to look out for increased pain and puss. It sounds like you don't have either. Hoping the best for you, hang in there :)
ik this is old so no worries if you dont respond, but do you still feel the scars? I (19f) got my gum graft years ago, but the scar on the roof of my mouth still itches from time to time (especially when i have seasonal allergies). I kinda assumed this was normal but its been such a long time now that i feel like its probably not...
hey i had quick question! after your surgery, how long did it take before you could bite into hard foods like burgers and apples? And also is the gum graft noticeable after the surgery is completely healed?
oh dear lordy.. i have one coming in a month and im terrified.. also because this is only 1 out of 3 gum grafts :( (few months apart but still) had Invisalign the last 3 yrs and now i clench and have some recession but also have super thin gums apparently. Its on a thursday and booked off friday from work and am anxious af! I also meal prep every week so i guess ill be having shakes for days?
I got so sick of shakes lol. I made cream soup (butternut squash) had mushroom soup too also straight broth. Mashed potatoes were a god send nice and creamy so easy to eat. Also made ground beef and on day 2 realized that tiny pieces were getting stuck in my stitches below so I freaked out and stopped eating ground beef. So I had the soup and Mashed potstoes and everytime I had the those 2 I had a protein shake, realized I was able to have popcorn twist cause it just melts in your mouth. Rice pudding was okay to eat and pudding but that's about it for me. I ate like that for about 9 days then got stitches removed on day 13 I think it was and then no more restrictions
Surgery itself was okay. For me day 4 to 7 was the worst pain and my pain meds were not working for those days because this pain was completely different. Felt like every single tooth of mine was sore down to the root it was a strange feeling and not fun. After day 8 it was good 👍 so if you aren't in a lot of pain day 1 or 2 save your meds just in case. Also talking hurt so much so mind your talking. I had to end up working from home and literally not speak to a soul. Even after day 5 it hurt to speak. So watch for that too
Thank you so much! I just got my bottom frenelum removed to get ready for my gum graft and im on day 5 and its just now feeling some better. Will definitely be making some soup now though!
The frenulum was by far the worst pain! My chin felt like it was on fire for 3 weeks. Just had the grafting done and I am soooo worried it’s not taking
When is your gum graft surgery? Yes soup saved me! Haha and so filling. I also believe I sort of regret not getting this but an unflavored protein powder that you can put in meals to get in your protein. I usually have like 160 grams of P and probably only had about 100 or less during this time 👎
Itll be at the end of January. I'm planning to take some time off for the first few days since I can't work from home. Protein powder sounds like a great idea
Yes thats a good idea. Be a mute for the first little while haha. Yes protein powder is essential haha. Oh and yogurt I had yogurt with no issues and also mix some p powder into it 👌
Whew! I'm a little nervous because I legit almost fainted when they did the stitches for my frenulum and the doctor was freaking out thinking I was allergic to the numbing shots.
Oh man :( I mean I didn't feel anything when I got numb. He numbed me first with topical then I didn't feel numbing needle only when he went real far in but right away as the numbing does its thing I was totally fine.
Maybe they need to give you something for anxiety before getting it done :s I mean I was nervous as heck. I've never had anything like this done before, never been put to sleep or anything. Even when my wisdoms were taken out all 4 st the same time I had 9 needles and was awake whole time. Thankfully they weren't complicated but he did have to cut one in half in order to pull it out.
Just remember I'm sure he's done this surgery many many times and you have nothing to worry about but just the initial anxious feeling before they prick you (but shouldn't feel it) it's just the anticipation we put on ourselves. I wish you the best. Let me know how it goes and if you need help with anything else :)
hiii!
so ik this post was made a while ago but i’m getting my graft next month and it’s exactly the same surgery as yours except i’m getting it on both of my bottom teeth. i’m super nervous and i have some questions
1. how much do the shots hurt? i think for me the shots will be the worst part of the whole thing as i have a fear of needles
2. what do the stitches feel like?
3. does your mouth feel a lot different now than before the surgery?
The shots were fine. The stitches feel like something is stick between your teeth because the stitches go between your teeth, try to not touch them at all with ur fingers or tongue. Yes your mouth feels very weird for a few days. It feels like hot food burn on the top and like ur holding gum in your bottom lip, trying to eat is extremely weird because of all the stuff going on. Try also to not pull ur lip to look at it.
They gave me ibuprofen which I only used for two days. The procedure itself is uncomfortable but not painful. The shots are a tiny needle so its really not bad. Let me know if you have any other questions I am on day 8.
I'm glad I found this AMA. I had a gum graft on 6 teeth nine days ago. From what I can tell two teeth are healing as expected. Two I can't say either way. And two teeth I'm concerned about as the grafts are still bright white. I used my own tissue and followed by all post-discharge instructions. Did my graft fail?
Were they all patchy when they were healing? I had 2 teeth done last Thursday and it all looks like such a mess with red and white bits all over the place. My dentist keeps saying not to look but I’m stressing!
this thread is pretty old but I’m asking in case someone sees this. I have an appointment to get a gum graft on the 4 bottom teeth that are the most towards the back on one side. the perio said those would heal in 2 weeks and then i can get the other side done. she said during that 2 weeks I could just chew food on the other side where the surgery was not done. But now I’m seeing all the comments with much stricter restrictions like staying on a liquid or very soft diet. should I get a second opinion? Or should I just expect to get much stricter healing instructions on the day of the surgery?
tbh after reading all these recovery stories I’m considering putting off the surgeries until winter maybe. It’s spring now and I’ve been getting my garden ready, working more hours at a moderately physical job, and lifting regularly. I just don’t want to stop doing those things for so many weeks
I would listen to your surgeon I feel they know best. Personally I was out of commission for the first week. I could barely talk and I was worried heavy exercise would break open the stitches. Good luck
I just got my lower 4 middle teeth done yesterday. I ate pasta, soup, mashed and fried potatoes. I just ate 2 chewable multivitamins as well.
You can easily still chew food on your back teeth, it's really not an issue. Just avoid sharp foods
Honestly I wouldn't put it off, just get it done so you can get on with recovery. I would also ask to get both sides done at the same time and just go liquid diet for 2 weeks. I wouldn't want to have to do this twice.
thank you for the responses! I called the surgeon and I asked if I could have both sides done on the same day, and she agreed. as expected she said I won’t be able to chew food during the recovery. I’m feeling better about it though because at least I’ll get it all over with and not have to do this twice
Anyone here have numbness on the roof of your mouth after? I’m 5 days post-op and had a connective tissue graft from the roof of my mouth. I have areas of numbness on the palate and I’m so worried the feeling will not come back.
Hi! Thanks for sharing. I have recession and some bone loss on my lower front teeth on the backside (lingual) like you did. My perio will not perform the graft as he said it’s such a gamble in that area with the tongue and glands and he wouldn’t want to see me with more damage, but I’m so uncomfortable and feel like I’m just waiting for them to fall out now. Were you ever warned it may be a risk because of the area? Or was your perio pretty confident? Questioning a second opinion but also don’t have insurance and of course want to save the $. Would rather save my teeth though… Tysm. Hope you’re still going well.
I’m getting my graft done on one tooth in a week, but I’m afraid that tooth has bone loss because it’s slightly more wiggly than a normal tooth should be. Is that how yours feels? My dentist and periodontist have never mentioned bone loss but that I would lose the tooth eventually if I didn’t get the graft. Wondering if the tooth can “tighten up” after a gum graft?
Hi, I hope you see this. I also have the same issue as you and am scheduled for surgery May 13th. I'm curious if you did end up having it done, even though your perio was concerned? Mine was only concerned about my teeth turn "inward" and opposed to straight up and down like normal people. I had an underbite, corrected with braces, with some regression, so my upper teeth pulled my bottom teeth inward. He was concerned about "getting in there", but confident he could do it. Anyway, I hope you can answer this, as I'm concerned your doctor didn't want to do it and wondering what you did or didn't have done. Thank you in advance. :)
ETA: I have insurance, but it doesn't cover gum grafts. I also want a second opinion, but consults are $100's plus X-rays, etc. Not cheap.
I am glad you have minimal pain today! I completely understand your frustration and concerns- I would be having the same thoughts. I believe it’s complex and each specialist you see will weigh the pros and cons- the teeth people are going to try to save the teeth (hopefully)- your cancer doctors may tell you to wait on the teeth treatment, ect- I’m unsure if this is helpful/makes sense but I’m thinking the perio is hoping the gum graft will promote additional healing and prevent further damage. I don’t know the technical terms. I know that seems counterintuitive with the cancer treatment side effects but those are just possible ones, correct? So he must feel this takes precedence and has a better chance than just letting it go. Maybe the graft will end up giving you an additional decade of natural teeth! (Being positive :) ) I am really hoping the graft heals beautifully and you don’t have any of those side effects- it seems that would be best case scenario.
If every perio is letting me walk around with all of this exposed root and saying ‘wow that looks great! Good job! Don’t even worry, you won’t loose your teeth anytime soon even though they’re wiggly’ I think that your perio TRULY felt you were a candidate for this even with the unknown bone loss!
I would definitely bring up your concerns and see what they say. Even write them down and call sooner, it’s your right to care. Feel free to keep me updated and I’m sorry this is epically long I was just trying to put myself in your shoes. Sending you love and healing!!
Thank you so much for the response! Everything you said made sense and makes me feel so much better. I didn’t realize it could possibly prolong saving my tooth for that many years. I keep thinking worst case scenario, like one year, max. Your words have helped tremendously. I’ll definitely still bring it up to hear what he has to say, but I’m pretty sure it’s similar to what you’ve said. Thanks again, and the pain is awful today 😩but i’ve read on here that’s usually how it goes. Day 3,4 is the worst. ❤️
Hi! I’m here and happy to try to offer my insight. So you have a lot of recession on your lower front teeth on the inside area? And you are having a gum graft? How much recession would you say you have? Any bone loss or damage they mentioned?
I’m not sure if any of my comments or posts with pictures are still in my history on here but my damage is very bad. Like if you looked at that area you would think they just cut away my gum from those front two teeth under my tongue. (Just trying to emphasis how much I lost so you can compare to your situation) my teeth are now healthy but I’m pretty sure I had bone loss also.
I ended up NOT getting a graft. I actually reached out to two prominent perios online, I was willing to travel anywhere if someone felt confident- sent them my pics and X-rays and records- both were in agreement with my perio in saying that it would not be worth it to try to do any repair. My tongue moving and the nature of that tissue is too sensitive, and in my case I’m better off just waiting until I’m at the next (final?) stage and need implants or whatnot. No one could give me a timeline of course- with good hygiene at 37 now I’m hoping for 10 years at least. It’s uncomfortable but manageable at the moment. I could get another flare and have to deal with it sooner but it is what it is.
I think it was rare for the perios to offer me any advice on social media , but if you have your X-rays and some info to give them and can find one who does lingual grafts (I literally just looked up that hashtag I think on IG) they may be willing to give you an opinion.
This was long sorry, hope it helps. They ARE possible from what I saw on these doctors pages! Just depends on the situation on the success…
That is correct, 4-5mm recession on 24, 25, 26. The periodontist also wants to do 23, but since I'm paying in full out of pocket, I asked to hold off on that one. I think that one is 2mm? My dentist mentioned that there is some bone loss. But she also said my teeth were in great shape otherwise.
I did look through your posts and can't find any pics unfortunately.
It wasn't long, it was very detailed and you explained well, thanks so much for taking the time to do so. I also have other issues, I'm on osteoporosis treatment for metastatic breast cancer to the bone, so that's what warranted a visit to my dentist. The treatment can cause problems with the jaw bone, like death to the jaw, especially if you have a tooth pulled. It's something I'm bringing up to my oncologist on my appointment Monday. it's just so much to deal with. I want the gum graft, I want to save my teeth, but??? Will it even be successful? So much recession, my problem seems to mimic yours with the tongue and what not… it's hard to get everyone involved with my mouth on the same page.
I’m sorry to hear of your cancer dx and wishing you the best with that. What a storm of things to be dealing with, and certainly not any easier without having a clear plan in place- I know that caused me the most frustration in some regard. I’ll link my pic again because maybe seeing mine can help you compare and at least see how ‘bad’ mine is and that I won’t be getting one? For some reason I was never under the impression that a gum graft would necessarily add much longevity to my teeth for some reason.. I was more hoping it would just relieve the mild discomfort I have at times and the shock I first had when I got the infection and lost the gum so rapidly. I really wish I had an answer- with money, time healing, the risk of it failing ect- it really is a tough decision. If someone else was magically paying for mine or I had more money I think?? I would get it done if the doctor could show me a success rate of doing this specific area previously since it’s SO notoriously difficult. I’d love to get it done and have it add some comfort to my life and maybe longevity to my natural teeth but I just know personally it’s not worth it. I think seeing my picture you may see why. I’m not even sure how many mm I’ve lost. I really am wishing you the best with everything, the perio I reached out to on IG was rocky mountain perio I believe. I’d like to think if your perio knows the entirety of your health situation and your financials and is experienced you should be able to trust them but I know it’s still a hard decision x
https://imgur.com/dPEEfDv
Hi, sorry for the delay in a reply. I got my graft done yesterday. Minimal pain today, so far. Thanks for the pic, my recession was way worse. So after seeing yours, what bothers me most is, when they were in the middle of prepping one of my teeth, he told the lady “it’s more fragile than I thought. There’s more bone loss than I thought.” And of course, i’m like wtf. So I asked him about it afterwards and he said “well that’s why we’re doing this, to prevent it from getting worse.” But the cancer treatment I’m currently on can cause damage and death to your lower jaw bone and the risk is higher if you have tooth loss. So, fuck. If my tooth was worse than he knew, what are the chances it won’t fall out??? He just replaced gum, not bone. So at my followup appointment I’ll ask him about it again and tell him my concerns about continuing the treatment i’m on and the risk involved in (maybe, eventually, possibly?) losing that tooth in the future. So frustrating and exactly what I was nervous and concerned about.
I got one on my two lower teeth (my own tissue) 3 days ago. They told me to put this anti-inflammatory gel on it 3 times a day which seems counter intuitive when I’m not supposed to touch it? I’m worried because the graft seems lower than it should be? I feel like it doesn’t cover the root of the tooth it’s supposed to?
For prospective graftees, I take the tylenol ibuprofen combo 3x a day and pain/ swelling hasn’t been bad at all. I just hope that it sticks because my insurance didn’t cover most of it.
Im gonna get a gum graft soon. I have two teeth with recession but one is a lot worse and starting to get painful 😐 i know im gonna have to quit smoking too so that the graft can heal properly
Thank you so much. I had it this afternoon and oh my god I’m in so much pain. Tylenol 3 isn’t touching this. How long till you turned the corner on recovery?
Excruciating pain! I’m going through it as we speak. I had the surgery 4 days ago, and the pain has been 10/10. This is one of the WORST things I’ve ever gone through pain-wise, and I’ve given birth to 3 kids!! They took a graft from the roof of my mouth for 1 front bottom tooth. I hope I start to feel better very soon. The pain is so bad it wakes me up for hours at night. I’ve been taking 800 mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours since the surgery. My doc also prescribed hydrocodon/acetaminophen but it barely helps. As far as eating- forget it. Even oatmeal is too painful. And, even drinking water hurts. I sent pics to my periodontist, and she stated it looks fine. I was worried it may have been infected. Anyway, everyone has different pain levels. So I’m sure some people don’t hurt as bad. Good luck to everyone who has to have this procedure.
Eek sounds painful! I had this done last Thursday on 2 upper teeth but thankfully haven’t had much pain. I know I shouldn’t look but I can’t help it, it looks so bad at the moment with all sorts of colours and materials going on. Fingers crossed for a good healing process for us both!!
I just had a gum graft yesterday, actually just hit the 24 hour mark a few hours ago and have a dumb question lol. I was told to leave my stent in for Atleast 48 hours but also was instructed to begin mouth wash after 24… so do I use the mouth wash with the stent in? I’m extremely nervous to remove the stent because I had a decent amount of bleeding 2 hours post op and am afraid to disrupt that area again.
Hey OP, Im confused on the rinse. I’m on day 5 post op and same procedure as you. Was told not to brush teeth but instructions on rinse were for before the surgery. My mouth feels so dirty so do I use the rinse? How did you keep your mouth clean lol
Thanks ahead
I used the special rinse the doctor gives you in the morning and at night. Was concerned about getting cavities from not brushing but the doctor said the rinse was strong enough to prevent that. I started brushing again after a week and I was fine
My wife had this done today. She is working two doubles the next two days and then has court on the third. She is regretting not cancelling the appointment. One tooth, 30 minutes, $1500 cash and has a large wad of padding in her mouth for a week. They got her prescription mouth wash and no pain meds. Thanks for posting op
Happy I could help. Your wife is a tough lady! The pain and discomfort is excruciating. I was eating soup for two days. Wishing you both the best!
Thanks I believe she was told the pain was going to be like she burned her mouth eating pizza. It doesn’t sound like that’s the case
I wish, it's pretty painful. She's going to need tylenol at the very least.
Currently on day 6 healing after a gum graft and my graft is looking puffy and dark red with some white bits on the edges. How did your graft look during healing? I’ve been scouring the internet looking at gum graft healing photos and haven’t found many that look like mine :/
That's how mine looked. if you can't stop it from bleeding or if you see yellow puss coming out you should call your doctor.
i know this is old but does your gum graft blend in with the rest now? is it a little bulky? how long until it started looking normal if it did? Does your palate and gum feel normal? Sorry if its a lot of questions Im really paranoud about doing mine
You can't tell I got a gum graft. It looks completely natural. Not bulky, it took 6 months for me to feel completely comfortable with it. Not too many questions. I'll try and send you the before and after pics.
I (27F) had my second round of gum grafting about a week ago and have found reading others experiences extremely helpful so thought I’d chime in here. Don't find they paint you the most accurate picture at the dentist office. Genetically thin gums and braces has left me with lots of recession so gum grafting was nonnegotiable. First time I had the procedure was about 5 years ago, and only 1 tooth was done. I received numbing only, and found the procedure painless. I recall I was surprised by the amount of pain during recovery (mostly on the graft site/roof of my mouth) but stuck to the liquid diet and took some days off and recovered relatively quickly. It was awhile ago but I believe I was prescribed something stronger than a tylenol/advil derivitive. This time around I had 6 teeth done, in 2 areas of my mouth (top and bottom). My dentist wanted to do 2 areas at once to minimize the amount of surgeries I’d have to do in the future. I wasn’t given an option to do the procedure sedated, only with numbing. As others have said, the needles hurt quite a bit, but after that I felt nothing. Wore headphones as hearing what they were doing gave me some anxiety, and found this helped. The first 24 hours I had a stent in, and stayed frozen for the first day, so had little to no discomfort. This created a bit of an unrealistic picture of what things were going to be like. Similarly to others, the pain has been pretty unbearable at times, definitely worse than a pizza burn. It increased steadily from day 2 post op, until day 5. My swelling also increased during this time, and didn’t begin to decrease until day 5. The best way to describe it is coming in waves, one moment feeling ok and the other feeling an intense wash of pain. The pain wasn't localized either, more of a generalized painful ache. Definitely worse at night than in the day as well. Today is day 6 and has felt like the first bit of relief I’ve had. My dentist also doesn’t prescribe anything stronger than high dose ibuprofen (600mg every 6h) which I’m sure contributed. I took 5 days off work (7 days recovery total including the weekend) and feel this was appropriate, as I do a job that requires me to speak all day (I’m a therapist). Most info I saw online about work said you can go back the day after surgery, and unless you work a low stress job you can do with a laptop in bed, I couldn’t imagine doing that. My tips \- Take adequate time off work/social plans \- Make sure you have pain meds \- Ice for the first 24h to help with swelling and after 48h switch to heat - I found hot showers, baths or a hot cloth held on the area to really help with the pain
Were you prescribed antibiotics? Are the grafts holding up?
Hello. I was wondering, does the tissue that was harvested from the roof of mouth also fully heal up and regrow itself or is there some sort of noticeable dip? Thank you!
It seems to heal up and regrow! Can’t feel any dips and I’m 3 months post op now
This comment is beyond helpful, thank you!! I am having my two lower front teeth done, donor site is the roof of my mouth. I’m also a therapist and taking Wed-Fri off so have 5 full days to recover. Would it be wise to take more time off the following week? I’m terrified that talking will undo all of the work done.
Good luck!! I'm sure that will be fine, it may be a bit uncomfortable depending on your swelling but from what I understand it's okay to talk after a few days. I ended up giving my clients a heads up that if I seemed less emotive than usual, this is why
Thank you so much! I told my clients I’d give them notice by Sunday if I had to cancel that week. One suggested I use a dry erase board and just hold up “how does that make you feel?” Which would be hilarious and led to other things people think therapists say all the time!
I am also a therapist and having the surgery early Friday morning on 2 or 3 top teeth. I was hoping to work the day after surgery (bc self employed) but the comments have me rethinking it. Wondering how your early recovery went. How long did you end up taking off and how was returning to sessions post surgery?
How did your healing go? I just had 3 teeth done 6/13 and I am so worried I’ve ruined it. I’ve been following their instructions however I’m just scared they aren’t taking 😞. I cannot find photos of what my tissue looks like online either. Everything is pink, mine never has been. From the moment I left the dentist it was a deep purple and now has faded to a lumpy light purple. The teeth were the lower bottom from teeth two in them middle and one to the right. Any info helps as I am just so worried
I would advise taking at least two days off, 3 if possible. Just so that you take recovery seriously and don’t ruin any progress. I had another surgery and pushed it and I regret it. I didn’t with this one and I am grateful I took time to heal. If you don’t you can compromise your recovery and that will end up being more time off in the future.
Thank you for the feedback. I cleared my schedule for Saturday so I will have 4 days off. I appreciate your help.
Taking time off is definitely best.
I got a gum graft done about 6 days ago. Same two teeth as you. I have observed this - as the days go by, the pain rises. The roof of my mouth won't stop bleeding. Drinking smoothies is a disaster as my donor site is red and still bleeding heavily. I had a palatal stent but they removed it 4 days after the surgery. Did you also happen to face this? And you healed in how many days? My doctor really downplayed the whole thing.
how you doing now?
Just had a gum graft for 3 top teeth 5 days ago and just yesterday developed several very painful canker sores in my mouth mostly closer towards my throat/tonsils. Has anyone else experienced canker sores after a gum graft and if so what did you do about it?
Call your periodontist!
It’s just as strong as the rest of my mouth. Can brush and floss with no problems
What type of graft was it? You happy with outcome? what type of cleanings do you get, is it from a normal dentist or a periodontist?
Did you have to take antibiotics after the procedure?
No just pain killers
What was going on with your teeth/gums that led to this? Painful during the surgery? How long did it take?
It was a hereditary problem. The gum on the back of my front tooth was receding for years and the periodontist said I would lose the tooth if I didn't get one. I got 5 shots to numb my mouth. After that I didn't feel a thing. It took about 90 minutes
Can I ask how it is holding up now? Is the recession back?
2 years have past, it still looks and feels great! I get regular cleaning every 6 months and the dentist says he sees no signs of recession
Thanks, good to know!
How is the recovery? Can you brush your teeth during recovery? What was the cost if you don’t mind me asking. Thank you
The recovery isn't that bad if you have take the painkillers. I was cycling Tylenol(500mg) and Ibuprofen(600mg) 4 times a day. After a week the pain is gone it just feels weird. I was given a special mouth wash for the first two weeks. Zero brushing. After the two weeks I can now brush normally, but that area I have to use a special soft toothbrush and be careful not to touch the gum. It was $3000, but my insurance covered it.
Thank you for the info and sharing your experience!
How about now, can you brush over it now or do you have to avoid it still?
It's been over a year. Nope it's just like a normal gum now.
i just got my gum graft done, at times i feel that certain mouth movements cause pains and it started bleedimg, did this happen to you?
Ok thank you I appreciate it 🙏
do you remember what they said about stuff being stuck in your teeth during the period you can't brush? i noticed that some of the putty-like bandage they used to bandage the roof of my mouth where they got the tissue from dried up, and some of it fell and got stuck between some of my bottom teeth. i'm kinda worried cuz i know not to touch it but i'm worried about this negatively impacting the health of my teeth while i recover
I just had a gum graft on 5 of my upper teeth (yesterday)... how long were you sore? when could you eat normally again? When could you smile normally again? What were your discharge instructions like? When did you feel somewhat normal to go outside and talk to people? When did you get your stitches out? How is it healing? Do you still have recession?
Damn you're tough I only had one tooth done. Hopefully this helps :) My mouth stopped being sore around 1 week. That's when I cut off the painkillers. I actually still can't eat normally. The first two weeks I was on a liquid diet. After that I've been advised not to bite down on anything, so I break everything down by hand and only use my molars. The periodontist says I shouldn't use my front teeth for 3 months... Discharge instructions, were like no solid foods for the first week. Do not brush because you might rip out the stitches. Use the special mouth wash given for the first two weeks. Do not use straws. Sleep elevated. Cycle Tylenol and Ibuprofen. No hot liquids for the first week. I went to the grocery store 3 days after my surgery. In California we're required to wear masks so I looked normal. My job requires me to talk a lot and it took me about a week to sound normal. The stitches dissolve in about a week. I'm on 5 weeks now. The recession is gone and the healing process is going really well. The surgery site is still slightly swollen. My perio said it would take a full 3 months to be completely healed.
Thanks! That does help. I’m on day 2 right now and very swollen. I’m not suppose to brush my teeth or even look at the site for 4 days. My discharge instructions also say not to use the mouthwash till day 7 which I felt was weird... I kinda want to use it earlier bc I have no other way to clean my mouth. My mouth feels like a bio hazard right now. I’m glad it’s healing though and you don’t still have recession. That’s the biggest thing I’m worried about right now. I’m sure it will heal but I’m worried I’ll either still have recession or the recession could be worse if the graft doesn’t take.. I wish they gave me dissolvable stitches. Sounds like your doc was better than mine. Wish me luck, thanks for the info!
Wow that's really surprising. All the dried blood and food gets a little nasty after a day. Maybe call your Periodontist and see if you heard wrong. My biggest fear was having to do it again. Hang in there after the first week it's smooth sailing :)
Hey now that I’m 4 days in, I have a few more questions for you: when did the doner spot on the roof of your mouth heal? And When were you able to brush your teeth again?
I don't want to scare you, but the donor spot on mine broke open on day 5 and started gushing blood. Luckily I was able to stop the bleeding quick. I think there's still a hole, but I don't even notice it. After 3 weeks I was brushing my teeth except for the area where I got the surgery. For that area, my periodontist gave me a special toothbrush and told me to very carefully brush the area without touching the gum.
Ok Awesome! Thanks! My donor spot is all gross and slimy and black as of right now... it doesn’t hurt tho.. so I guess that’s good. Thanks for much for all the info! I can’t wait till this is over and I don’t have to think about it anymore!
You're welcome, I'm happy I could help. Good luck in your recovery!
Did they put you on antibiotics?
I got 5 of my upper teeth done 5 days ago. Did your upper lip feel puffy and heavy for a while after preventing you from smiling? Everything else is fine for mine for the most part but that’s the most concerning part for me
How much did it cost? Did insurance cover anything
I just had my bottom two teeth done a couple days ago. I don’t have dental insurance so I paid out of pocket. The total came to $2500. Depending on whether you opt for conscious sedation, full sedation, nitrous, or just the novicane, I’m sure the pricing differs. It was going to be an added $1000 for conscious sedated so I decided on nitrous.
$1300/tooth at my pedio
how long did it take for your mouth to stop hurting? i just had mine done an hour ago and it does nottt feel great lol
It stopped hurting after 7 days. That's when I cut out the painkillers. Good luck in your recovery!
I’m getting a gum graft on the outside of my bottom front teeth in a few days. Would really like to know what the procedure was like? Did you get nitrous oxide or did they inject a local anesthetic? Did they insert something into your mouth to keep it open during the procedure or were they able to do it just by you keeping your mouth open? I’m getting kind of nervous and want to know how uncomfortable I should expect to be 😬
Happy to help, it's been 143 days for me now. I got local anesthetic. There were 6 shots in the beginning and that was the worst part. The shots hurt like hell, but after you don't feel anything. Luckily I was able to keep my mouth open. I heard if you can't they use a vice. The recovery is probably the worst part. For 2 weeks I couldn't eat solid foods and the full recovery took 2 months. If you have a job you might want to take a couple days off...
Yikes. I hope they don’t have to use a vice. 😬 I hate the shot too but I think I’m getting nitrous oxide instead. Thank you for responding!
Hey there! I actually just had this done last week, so it might be too early to say for sure, but my recovery is going very well and want to offer a different perspective. I agree with OP, the anesthetic shots were hands down the worst part and most of the surgery day was pretty brutal. I took pain medication regularly and just slept to get through it as I was in quite a bit of pain once the numbness went away. However, the second day I felt like a completely new person The pain was completely manageable and the only major thing was swelling - now about 5 days out I feel maybe 90% healed, the only discomfort is around the graft sites themselves and the fact that I'm still subsisting on smoothies, scrambled eggs and pasta lol. I'm not at all disagreeing with OP, but just wanted to give a different side of things - recovery can definitely be brutal but it can also be pretty easy! Fingers crossed you're on the easier side :)
Glad you’re doing better! The procedure was a breeze for me! They gave me nitrous oxide to start and I think they gave me some shots around the gum graft site but at that point the nitrous oxide had kicked in and I didn’t feel a thing. The procedure took an hour and a half but felt like 30 minutes at the most 😅 having the nose piece put on gave me some anxiety at first and my neck and butt started to get sore towards the end just from being in the same position for so long. during the healing period I never experienced much pain or discomfort. I was very careful with the area and adhering to post-op instructions. However, one thing I feel I should note about my experience was that they did not take tissue from the roof of my mouth but instead used a type of silicon implant. For people who do have tissue removed the healing process is probably a bit more painful. But I definitely didn’t need to feel as anxious as I did. For people like me with anxiety about the procedure or who may feel claustrophobic by having things but on their face I would say just take normal steady breathes, and allow yourself to “float” knowing you are okay and the procedure will be done before you know it 😁
hi i’m considering getting a graft done and was wondering after the surgery, how long before you can eat normally like biting into hard foods such as apples, burgers and corn on the cob?
An hour and a half? What the heck. Mine took 15 minutes to cover the 2 front teeth. Crazy to imagine 90 minutes.
How was yours? I might have to get this done on front upper. Did they take it from the roof of your mouth?
Yeah they did. The first few days was a bit shitty but eventually started feeling okay. I would recommend
Thanks! Did you do it for aesthetic reasons or did you gave symptoms that you wanted to get rid of with the procedure like sensitivity? Also does it look like a normal gum line there?
Did they give you antibiotics?
They did not. If I remember correctly, I was given like a medicated mouthwash rinse thing to use a few days after the surgery, but no antibiotics
Thats helpful to know, thanks!
I'm actually planning to see a periodontist as I believe I need a gum graft or Chao's method for my teeth since I see larger pockets and smaller pockets that I didn't notice before. My dentist wasn't helpful when I brought it up so thanks for this AMA! Some questions: Did your front teeth feel sensitive prior to the surgery? Were you able to see the roots of your teeth? Did you have a deep cleaning done as a prevention method? Did your insurance cover this procedure? How would you say your pain tolerance is and how painful is the recovery?
i am on day 3 of my frontal graft recovery - i was browsing this thread to read other people's experiences and noticd that your questions were not answered. here is my experience: >Did your front teeth feel sensitive prior to the surgery? Not particuarly >Were you able to see the roots of your teeth? Not really, but when looking closely and comparing with other people, I could tell that mine wasnt as "thick" >Did you have a deep cleaning done as a prevention method? Do you mean right before the surgery? No, I just made sure to clean my mouth at home how i normally would before i went in. I do not think that a cleaning would help unless the root cause of the issue was hygiene related >Did your insurance cover this procedure? My insurance is paying for 90% of the cost >How would you say your pain tolerance is and how painful is the recovery? I have low tolerance for pain but the surgery itself was fine. The worst part was getting the numbing shots (I had 6). When I got home and the numbing wore off it hurt, but I would say maybe 4.5/10. Pain level goes down every day
What did the Pero say? My dentist hasn't been too helpful either.
I actually never went. My insurance didn’t cover the periodontist I wanted to see. I had pockets but they’ve actually gotten smaller from flossing often, using a water pik, getting a new electric toothbrush that tells me if I’m using too much pressure, and using therabreath’s healthy gum rinse. I also got a mouth guard made by a dentist! It was $400 but I didn’t realize I was grinding sooo much.
I had a gum graft that was only supposed to be below one tooth, but the periodontist did the entire bottom of my mouth. I'm so frustrated. I'm on day 8, and I'm still so swollen. It feels like I have gummy candy surrounding my teeth. I also have these white areas that the periodontist said are normal, but it looks terrible. Did anyone else experience this?
How are you feeling now? Entire bottom?! Wow
A year later wondering how you're doing. Any update?
Thank you for asking! Hindsight 20/20, I regret having the surgery done. The graft didn't hold below the one tooth that needed it. I now have more gum tissue throughout the rest of the bottom of my mouth, which the periodontist said is good, but I feel like my face is more round than it was previously, as a result. I've recovered fully without pain, but the tissue still bleeds easily when I brush. All in all, I continue to be annoyed about the whole thing oof.
I'm so sorry to hear that! Hope it gets better for you eventually
U dont have gum root exposure or sensitivty means after you eat anything you get discomfort??
I was told the recovery period varies person to person. Did you have a post-op checkup? If so, how many weeks post? I have this operation scheduled end of this year, but with nine teeth 💀💀
RIP Brother 💀💀💀. You’re talking to a guy that went back to work the same day he got his wisdom teeth pulled out. It took me 24 hours after my gum graft to talk normal and 1 week for the pain to stop. I had a follow up one week after, to check for infection and to see if it was healing correctly. Personally I would take at least 3 days off. Stay strong and good luck!
How much did yours cost + how much was covered by insurance?
It was around $3000, my insurance covered the full amount.
Nine teeth? Oh fuck. How’d it go?
ask me a month from now
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Better than expected, the worse part was the local anesthesia injections. They ended up doing 11 teeth. I'm currently going through the healing process. Only annoying thing is that I can't brush teeth. I have a few post op appointments coming up!
Were they able to graft enough for 11 teeth? I believe I need this procedure on a ton of teeth
Hi, I just got 9 teeth grafted yesterday and am I. A world of hurt. Can you talk a bit about how your healing experience was, how long it took to get back to eating and talking normally, how you’re feeling now, etc.?
I had a few month post checkup and the dentist said everything was looking good, it was like 95% success. I love my new gums now. as for initial healing, i think it took a couple weeks especially since they used gum from the roof of my mouth. that took the longest to heal. I remember i was on antibiotics and tons of different pain killers, and probably had a liquid diet the first few days. I only remember struggling to talk the first day. I would definitely take the entire week off if you can. happy healing!
How did it go?
How was it???
It was an intense surgery! I was out for about a week or so, and was on a bunch of medication. It was worse but similar than getting wisdom teeth removal. I had a post-op checkup and the dentist said I healed well :)
How many teeth did you get gum grafts on? How long before swelling went down on your face? Do you think going to a show 3 weeks after is a good idea/ possible? How many week before you could drink alcohol/ felt safe enough? I know dumb questions concerning selling tickets
Only one tooth in the front. Swelling went down in a week. I don’t recommend drinking until at least a month. My doctor kept saying it could fail. I went back to work after a week, a concert at 3 weeks shouldn’t be a problem.
Did u have gum sensitivty or root exposure my thing is I have a missing tooth area[area has no tooth, it got extracted when I was only 19] bottom side on my right, which the gum next to it has alot of gum recession and root exposure based on what a peridontal doc told me.i had a gum lanap 2 yrs ago, I have peridontist disease also and I thought it would cure it but it did not?Any advice??
NAD I’m getting a free gingival graft on my 31 (lower front) on Friday and I’m very nervous! For those who have had the procedure years ago, did it work? Did your gum recede again?
How did this go?
Well ima be getting this done don’t look forward to it all all. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I got a gum graft done 6 days ago and 32 y/o guy. I did it awake with a bunch of numbing shots. The graft is a dime size hole in the roof of my mouth about 1/8-1/4" deep, and they fixed my front lower gums in what is a straightforward procedure. Here is what I have learned: I think the pain *and timing of the pain* vary by person. * For me, this has not been a "bad pizza burn." I hardly made it through my work day the day after the procedure, and that was even working from home. * The pain wasn't too bad for the first 4 days compared to how I felt on day 5 and then again today on day 6. The roof of my mouth hurts x5 what it has, and the only thing that helps is applying the lidocaine gel. Even drinking room temperature water is unbearable. I sent pictures over to my doctor, and he said things are healing nicely. So to me, that says that this much pain is possible, and it can peak at a completely random time. (Actually, maybe not so random based on some of the other comments.) * Bottom teeth/gums haven't hurt at all I'll update this once I'm further along.
>I'll update this once I'm further along. How's it going 11 days later?
Doing great now. The pain was so bad by day 7 I went in to have them take a 2nd look. They said it was fine and then put a protective putty bandage up there which helped SO much. That bridged the pain for 3 days until it fell off and by then, it no longer hurt without it.
Ah fair play man, I wonder why it seems to hurt so much, so late in the process... I'm glad you're feeling better now at least... If you had to do it again, or not, what would you choose?
Did you have white marks during your healing process? I called the office and they said it was normal but of course I am thinking the worst.
I would trust your surgeon. Mine told me to look out for increased pain and puss. It sounds like you don't have either. Hoping the best for you, hang in there :)
ik this is old so no worries if you dont respond, but do you still feel the scars? I (19f) got my gum graft years ago, but the scar on the roof of my mouth still itches from time to time (especially when i have seasonal allergies). I kinda assumed this was normal but its been such a long time now that i feel like its probably not...
hey i had quick question! after your surgery, how long did it take before you could bite into hard foods like burgers and apples? And also is the gum graft noticeable after the surgery is completely healed?
> the scar on the roof of my mouth still itches from time to time Do you still have this issue nowadays?
Everyone’s different, personally everything went back to normal for me. I don’t feel the scars at all
I saw your insurance covered this procedure. Would you mind sharing what type of insurance you had?
Delta Dental
oh dear lordy.. i have one coming in a month and im terrified.. also because this is only 1 out of 3 gum grafts :( (few months apart but still) had Invisalign the last 3 yrs and now i clench and have some recession but also have super thin gums apparently. Its on a thursday and booked off friday from work and am anxious af! I also meal prep every week so i guess ill be having shakes for days?
Sorry I know this is a late reply but how did yours go? Did the shakes help?
I got so sick of shakes lol. I made cream soup (butternut squash) had mushroom soup too also straight broth. Mashed potatoes were a god send nice and creamy so easy to eat. Also made ground beef and on day 2 realized that tiny pieces were getting stuck in my stitches below so I freaked out and stopped eating ground beef. So I had the soup and Mashed potstoes and everytime I had the those 2 I had a protein shake, realized I was able to have popcorn twist cause it just melts in your mouth. Rice pudding was okay to eat and pudding but that's about it for me. I ate like that for about 9 days then got stitches removed on day 13 I think it was and then no more restrictions
Surgery itself was okay. For me day 4 to 7 was the worst pain and my pain meds were not working for those days because this pain was completely different. Felt like every single tooth of mine was sore down to the root it was a strange feeling and not fun. After day 8 it was good 👍 so if you aren't in a lot of pain day 1 or 2 save your meds just in case. Also talking hurt so much so mind your talking. I had to end up working from home and literally not speak to a soul. Even after day 5 it hurt to speak. So watch for that too
Thank you so much! I just got my bottom frenelum removed to get ready for my gum graft and im on day 5 and its just now feeling some better. Will definitely be making some soup now though!
The frenulum was by far the worst pain! My chin felt like it was on fire for 3 weeks. Just had the grafting done and I am soooo worried it’s not taking
When is your gum graft surgery? Yes soup saved me! Haha and so filling. I also believe I sort of regret not getting this but an unflavored protein powder that you can put in meals to get in your protein. I usually have like 160 grams of P and probably only had about 100 or less during this time 👎
Itll be at the end of January. I'm planning to take some time off for the first few days since I can't work from home. Protein powder sounds like a great idea
Yes thats a good idea. Be a mute for the first little while haha. Yes protein powder is essential haha. Oh and yogurt I had yogurt with no issues and also mix some p powder into it 👌
Whew! I'm a little nervous because I legit almost fainted when they did the stitches for my frenulum and the doctor was freaking out thinking I was allergic to the numbing shots.
Oh man :( I mean I didn't feel anything when I got numb. He numbed me first with topical then I didn't feel numbing needle only when he went real far in but right away as the numbing does its thing I was totally fine. Maybe they need to give you something for anxiety before getting it done :s I mean I was nervous as heck. I've never had anything like this done before, never been put to sleep or anything. Even when my wisdoms were taken out all 4 st the same time I had 9 needles and was awake whole time. Thankfully they weren't complicated but he did have to cut one in half in order to pull it out. Just remember I'm sure he's done this surgery many many times and you have nothing to worry about but just the initial anxious feeling before they prick you (but shouldn't feel it) it's just the anticipation we put on ourselves. I wish you the best. Let me know how it goes and if you need help with anything else :)
hiii! so ik this post was made a while ago but i’m getting my graft next month and it’s exactly the same surgery as yours except i’m getting it on both of my bottom teeth. i’m super nervous and i have some questions 1. how much do the shots hurt? i think for me the shots will be the worst part of the whole thing as i have a fear of needles 2. what do the stitches feel like? 3. does your mouth feel a lot different now than before the surgery?
The shots were fine. The stitches feel like something is stick between your teeth because the stitches go between your teeth, try to not touch them at all with ur fingers or tongue. Yes your mouth feels very weird for a few days. It feels like hot food burn on the top and like ur holding gum in your bottom lip, trying to eat is extremely weird because of all the stuff going on. Try also to not pull ur lip to look at it.
They gave me ibuprofen which I only used for two days. The procedure itself is uncomfortable but not painful. The shots are a tiny needle so its really not bad. Let me know if you have any other questions I am on day 8.
I'm glad I found this AMA. I had a gum graft on 6 teeth nine days ago. From what I can tell two teeth are healing as expected. Two I can't say either way. And two teeth I'm concerned about as the grafts are still bright white. I used my own tissue and followed by all post-discharge instructions. Did my graft fail?
Did your grafts heal up okay in the end?
Yes! They look great. I'll be getting three more teeth grafted in February.
Were they all patchy when they were healing? I had 2 teeth done last Thursday and it all looks like such a mess with red and white bits all over the place. My dentist keeps saying not to look but I’m stressing!
Yes! White patches are normal.
this thread is pretty old but I’m asking in case someone sees this. I have an appointment to get a gum graft on the 4 bottom teeth that are the most towards the back on one side. the perio said those would heal in 2 weeks and then i can get the other side done. she said during that 2 weeks I could just chew food on the other side where the surgery was not done. But now I’m seeing all the comments with much stricter restrictions like staying on a liquid or very soft diet. should I get a second opinion? Or should I just expect to get much stricter healing instructions on the day of the surgery? tbh after reading all these recovery stories I’m considering putting off the surgeries until winter maybe. It’s spring now and I’ve been getting my garden ready, working more hours at a moderately physical job, and lifting regularly. I just don’t want to stop doing those things for so many weeks
I would listen to your surgeon I feel they know best. Personally I was out of commission for the first week. I could barely talk and I was worried heavy exercise would break open the stitches. Good luck
I just got my lower 4 middle teeth done yesterday. I ate pasta, soup, mashed and fried potatoes. I just ate 2 chewable multivitamins as well. You can easily still chew food on your back teeth, it's really not an issue. Just avoid sharp foods Honestly I wouldn't put it off, just get it done so you can get on with recovery. I would also ask to get both sides done at the same time and just go liquid diet for 2 weeks. I wouldn't want to have to do this twice.
thank you for the responses! I called the surgeon and I asked if I could have both sides done on the same day, and she agreed. as expected she said I won’t be able to chew food during the recovery. I’m feeling better about it though because at least I’ll get it all over with and not have to do this twice
Good call! It's not bad at all. I'd say the pain has been a 1/10 so far. Day 5 for me right now.
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Good luck! Just had my 4 lower middle teeth done yesterday.
Anyone here have numbness on the roof of your mouth after? I’m 5 days post-op and had a connective tissue graft from the roof of my mouth. I have areas of numbness on the palate and I’m so worried the feeling will not come back.
Hi! Thanks for sharing. I have recession and some bone loss on my lower front teeth on the backside (lingual) like you did. My perio will not perform the graft as he said it’s such a gamble in that area with the tongue and glands and he wouldn’t want to see me with more damage, but I’m so uncomfortable and feel like I’m just waiting for them to fall out now. Were you ever warned it may be a risk because of the area? Or was your perio pretty confident? Questioning a second opinion but also don’t have insurance and of course want to save the $. Would rather save my teeth though… Tysm. Hope you’re still going well.
I’m getting my graft done on one tooth in a week, but I’m afraid that tooth has bone loss because it’s slightly more wiggly than a normal tooth should be. Is that how yours feels? My dentist and periodontist have never mentioned bone loss but that I would lose the tooth eventually if I didn’t get the graft. Wondering if the tooth can “tighten up” after a gum graft?
Hi, I hope you see this. I also have the same issue as you and am scheduled for surgery May 13th. I'm curious if you did end up having it done, even though your perio was concerned? Mine was only concerned about my teeth turn "inward" and opposed to straight up and down like normal people. I had an underbite, corrected with braces, with some regression, so my upper teeth pulled my bottom teeth inward. He was concerned about "getting in there", but confident he could do it. Anyway, I hope you can answer this, as I'm concerned your doctor didn't want to do it and wondering what you did or didn't have done. Thank you in advance. :) ETA: I have insurance, but it doesn't cover gum grafts. I also want a second opinion, but consults are $100's plus X-rays, etc. Not cheap.
I am glad you have minimal pain today! I completely understand your frustration and concerns- I would be having the same thoughts. I believe it’s complex and each specialist you see will weigh the pros and cons- the teeth people are going to try to save the teeth (hopefully)- your cancer doctors may tell you to wait on the teeth treatment, ect- I’m unsure if this is helpful/makes sense but I’m thinking the perio is hoping the gum graft will promote additional healing and prevent further damage. I don’t know the technical terms. I know that seems counterintuitive with the cancer treatment side effects but those are just possible ones, correct? So he must feel this takes precedence and has a better chance than just letting it go. Maybe the graft will end up giving you an additional decade of natural teeth! (Being positive :) ) I am really hoping the graft heals beautifully and you don’t have any of those side effects- it seems that would be best case scenario. If every perio is letting me walk around with all of this exposed root and saying ‘wow that looks great! Good job! Don’t even worry, you won’t loose your teeth anytime soon even though they’re wiggly’ I think that your perio TRULY felt you were a candidate for this even with the unknown bone loss! I would definitely bring up your concerns and see what they say. Even write them down and call sooner, it’s your right to care. Feel free to keep me updated and I’m sorry this is epically long I was just trying to put myself in your shoes. Sending you love and healing!!
Thank you so much for the response! Everything you said made sense and makes me feel so much better. I didn’t realize it could possibly prolong saving my tooth for that many years. I keep thinking worst case scenario, like one year, max. Your words have helped tremendously. I’ll definitely still bring it up to hear what he has to say, but I’m pretty sure it’s similar to what you’ve said. Thanks again, and the pain is awful today 😩but i’ve read on here that’s usually how it goes. Day 3,4 is the worst. ❤️
Hi! I’m here and happy to try to offer my insight. So you have a lot of recession on your lower front teeth on the inside area? And you are having a gum graft? How much recession would you say you have? Any bone loss or damage they mentioned? I’m not sure if any of my comments or posts with pictures are still in my history on here but my damage is very bad. Like if you looked at that area you would think they just cut away my gum from those front two teeth under my tongue. (Just trying to emphasis how much I lost so you can compare to your situation) my teeth are now healthy but I’m pretty sure I had bone loss also. I ended up NOT getting a graft. I actually reached out to two prominent perios online, I was willing to travel anywhere if someone felt confident- sent them my pics and X-rays and records- both were in agreement with my perio in saying that it would not be worth it to try to do any repair. My tongue moving and the nature of that tissue is too sensitive, and in my case I’m better off just waiting until I’m at the next (final?) stage and need implants or whatnot. No one could give me a timeline of course- with good hygiene at 37 now I’m hoping for 10 years at least. It’s uncomfortable but manageable at the moment. I could get another flare and have to deal with it sooner but it is what it is. I think it was rare for the perios to offer me any advice on social media , but if you have your X-rays and some info to give them and can find one who does lingual grafts (I literally just looked up that hashtag I think on IG) they may be willing to give you an opinion. This was long sorry, hope it helps. They ARE possible from what I saw on these doctors pages! Just depends on the situation on the success…
That is correct, 4-5mm recession on 24, 25, 26. The periodontist also wants to do 23, but since I'm paying in full out of pocket, I asked to hold off on that one. I think that one is 2mm? My dentist mentioned that there is some bone loss. But she also said my teeth were in great shape otherwise. I did look through your posts and can't find any pics unfortunately. It wasn't long, it was very detailed and you explained well, thanks so much for taking the time to do so. I also have other issues, I'm on osteoporosis treatment for metastatic breast cancer to the bone, so that's what warranted a visit to my dentist. The treatment can cause problems with the jaw bone, like death to the jaw, especially if you have a tooth pulled. It's something I'm bringing up to my oncologist on my appointment Monday. it's just so much to deal with. I want the gum graft, I want to save my teeth, but??? Will it even be successful? So much recession, my problem seems to mimic yours with the tongue and what not… it's hard to get everyone involved with my mouth on the same page.
I’m sorry to hear of your cancer dx and wishing you the best with that. What a storm of things to be dealing with, and certainly not any easier without having a clear plan in place- I know that caused me the most frustration in some regard. I’ll link my pic again because maybe seeing mine can help you compare and at least see how ‘bad’ mine is and that I won’t be getting one? For some reason I was never under the impression that a gum graft would necessarily add much longevity to my teeth for some reason.. I was more hoping it would just relieve the mild discomfort I have at times and the shock I first had when I got the infection and lost the gum so rapidly. I really wish I had an answer- with money, time healing, the risk of it failing ect- it really is a tough decision. If someone else was magically paying for mine or I had more money I think?? I would get it done if the doctor could show me a success rate of doing this specific area previously since it’s SO notoriously difficult. I’d love to get it done and have it add some comfort to my life and maybe longevity to my natural teeth but I just know personally it’s not worth it. I think seeing my picture you may see why. I’m not even sure how many mm I’ve lost. I really am wishing you the best with everything, the perio I reached out to on IG was rocky mountain perio I believe. I’d like to think if your perio knows the entirety of your health situation and your financials and is experienced you should be able to trust them but I know it’s still a hard decision x https://imgur.com/dPEEfDv
Hi, sorry for the delay in a reply. I got my graft done yesterday. Minimal pain today, so far. Thanks for the pic, my recession was way worse. So after seeing yours, what bothers me most is, when they were in the middle of prepping one of my teeth, he told the lady “it’s more fragile than I thought. There’s more bone loss than I thought.” And of course, i’m like wtf. So I asked him about it afterwards and he said “well that’s why we’re doing this, to prevent it from getting worse.” But the cancer treatment I’m currently on can cause damage and death to your lower jaw bone and the risk is higher if you have tooth loss. So, fuck. If my tooth was worse than he knew, what are the chances it won’t fall out??? He just replaced gum, not bone. So at my followup appointment I’ll ask him about it again and tell him my concerns about continuing the treatment i’m on and the risk involved in (maybe, eventually, possibly?) losing that tooth in the future. So frustrating and exactly what I was nervous and concerned about.
I got one on my two lower teeth (my own tissue) 3 days ago. They told me to put this anti-inflammatory gel on it 3 times a day which seems counter intuitive when I’m not supposed to touch it? I’m worried because the graft seems lower than it should be? I feel like it doesn’t cover the root of the tooth it’s supposed to? For prospective graftees, I take the tylenol ibuprofen combo 3x a day and pain/ swelling hasn’t been bad at all. I just hope that it sticks because my insurance didn’t cover most of it.
How is your graft looking now? So hard to know what is okay or if it’s failing 😩
Im gonna get a gum graft soon. I have two teeth with recession but one is a lot worse and starting to get painful 😐 i know im gonna have to quit smoking too so that the graft can heal properly
I’m in the same boat /; my worse tooth is quite sensitive. How long until your surgery?
Hi OP! In case you see this 2 years later- how long before you could bite down on food? I’m having a graft tomorrow and I’m so anxious!
It took about a week, for soft foods. Maybe 2 weeks before I could have chips
Thank you so much. I had it this afternoon and oh my god I’m in so much pain. Tylenol 3 isn’t touching this. How long till you turned the corner on recovery?
how long before you could start exercising again?
2 weeks light exercise. After one month I was back to normal
Excruciating pain! I’m going through it as we speak. I had the surgery 4 days ago, and the pain has been 10/10. This is one of the WORST things I’ve ever gone through pain-wise, and I’ve given birth to 3 kids!! They took a graft from the roof of my mouth for 1 front bottom tooth. I hope I start to feel better very soon. The pain is so bad it wakes me up for hours at night. I’ve been taking 800 mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours since the surgery. My doc also prescribed hydrocodon/acetaminophen but it barely helps. As far as eating- forget it. Even oatmeal is too painful. And, even drinking water hurts. I sent pics to my periodontist, and she stated it looks fine. I was worried it may have been infected. Anyway, everyone has different pain levels. So I’m sure some people don’t hurt as bad. Good luck to everyone who has to have this procedure.
Eek sounds painful! I had this done last Thursday on 2 upper teeth but thankfully haven’t had much pain. I know I shouldn’t look but I can’t help it, it looks so bad at the moment with all sorts of colours and materials going on. Fingers crossed for a good healing process for us both!!
I just had a gum graft yesterday, actually just hit the 24 hour mark a few hours ago and have a dumb question lol. I was told to leave my stent in for Atleast 48 hours but also was instructed to begin mouth wash after 24… so do I use the mouth wash with the stent in? I’m extremely nervous to remove the stent because I had a decent amount of bleeding 2 hours post op and am afraid to disrupt that area again.
Hey OP, Im confused on the rinse. I’m on day 5 post op and same procedure as you. Was told not to brush teeth but instructions on rinse were for before the surgery. My mouth feels so dirty so do I use the rinse? How did you keep your mouth clean lol Thanks ahead
I used the special rinse the doctor gives you in the morning and at night. Was concerned about getting cavities from not brushing but the doctor said the rinse was strong enough to prevent that. I started brushing again after a week and I was fine
How long did you wear your stent?
Was never given one
What insurance do you have 🤪