How to Manage Pain After Gum Graft Surgery?
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Fighting tooth decay, restoring pearly whites, and straightening damaged or crooked teeth are only a few aspects of maintaining good oral health. The state of the gums, including how they look and feel as well as the likelihood of infection and inflammation, is a frequently disregarded aspect of dental care. All of these retain attractive, healthy smiles.
What is Gum Graft Surgery?
Gum recession or thinned gums can be treated by gum transplant surgery. Gum grafting provides volume to the gum line and covers exposed tooth roots, enhancing your dental health as a whole. The average time for recovery is one to two weeks, although it might take longer. Gum grafting has a high likelihood of success and can lower your chance of developing serious gum disease.
Why Might You Need Gum Graft Surgery?
If you have gum recession, your dentist could advise you on gum grafting. Although receding gums are frequently a sign of advanced gum disease, some people are also genetically predisposed to the condition. Gum recession might also happen if you brush too vigorously.
Pain After Gum Graft Surgery
Each patient will have a different experience with post-operative pain.. A person should only experience mild discomfort, for instance, if the periodontist uses tissue from a tissue bank. A person could have discomfort for a few days if the tissue from the mouth’s roof is removed.
It usually only takes one to two weeks for the mouth to completely heal, although it occasionally might take longer. To assist control any discomfort, people might use over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription painkillers.
After the surgery, teeth could feel more sensitive than normal, especially to hot and cold meals, therefore using desensitizing mouthwash or toothpaste may be helpful.
Normal symptoms
Gum graft surgery seldomly has risks of complications.
Nonetheless, it is conceivable for individuals to go through the following:
- Gum bleeding
- Swollen gums
- Teeth are loosened (though this should only be temporary).
- Teeth sensitivity
- Gaps form in between the teeth
- Infection
Abnormal Symptoms
On occasion, the graft tissue could not effectively adhere to the graft site. Although it is extremely unlikely, a person could need to have surgery again if this occurs.
If someone observes any signs that the gums have gotten infected following surgery, they should contact their dentist as soon as possible.
Infection symptoms include:
- Hemorrhage that, despite applying pressure, lasts more than 20 minutes.
- Unexpected aches, bruises, and swelling.
- Pus and fever
Post-Operative Care for Pain Management and the Healing Process
Following the operation, you will be allowed to return home. You will want to make plans for someone else to drive you home if your dentist administers a sedative to assist with your relaxation.
Regarding postoperative care, including nutrition, exercise, and medication, your dentist will provide detailed advice. When the mended gum line has healed, avoid using dental floss or a toothbrush there. In order to manage plaque while your mouth heals, you may be instructed to rinse with a specific mouthwash. You may also be prescribed an antibiotic to lower your risk of infection.
About what food to eat after gum graft, eat soft, cold meals like eggs, spaghetti, Jell-O, yogurt, cottage cheese, well-cooked veggies, and ice cream for a week or two after gum grafting.
The kind of gum graft done determines how much pain you experience following surgery. You should feel little to no pain if your palate is left tissue-free. But, if tissue is taken from your palate during the treatment, you can have discomfort for a few days. The good thing is that the cut on the mouth’s roof usually heals rapidly despite feeling like a severe pizza burn. You can stay comfortable in the days after the surgery using over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers.
You ought to be able to go back to work or your regular activities the day following surgery, though it could take a week or 2 for your mouth to completely recover.
=> Maybe you’ll be interested in: Can you get dental implants with gum disease?
Final Thoughts
It may be frightening to learn that you require gum transplant surgery. It has a variety of advantages, including a high rate of success and a rather short recovery, which is excellent news. The most common therapy for gum recession is gum grafting. Gum grafting methods and materials come in a variety that can assist regenerate and replace damaged gum tissue. During a consultation, your dentist or periodontist may go through your available treatment choices in great detail.
Contact Edgard El Chaar today if you think you might need gum graft surgery. Our team of professional dentists will guide you through the whole process.
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Source
Shively, R. E., Northington, J. W., Williamson, G. B., & Gum, R. A. (1981, October). A Simple Skin Graft Dressing Allowing Early Graft Inspection. Annals of Plastic Surgery, 7(4), 334–335. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000637-198110000-00016
Bone Graft and Bone Graft Substitute Options in Metastatic Spine Surgery. (2022, May). Contemporary Spine Surgery, 23(5), 6–6. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.css.0000829380.70236.78
Chambrone, L., & Pini Prato, G. P. (2018, August 30). Clinical insights about the evolution of root coverage procedures: The flap, the graft, and the surgery. Journal of Periodontology, 90(1), 9–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/jper.18-0281
