What Can You Expect If Recommended Gum Grafting?

Gum grafting is a procedure recommended by King and Weston dental if your gums are receding and exposing the roots of your teeth. Gum recession and exposure of the root surface of your teeth makes them prone to decay besides abrasion and sensitivity. The gum grafting procedure, also called a gingival graft, corrects the problem with receding gums. If your dentist recommends gum grafting, rest assured the process is relatively quick, allowing you to leave the dentist’s office soon after it is completed.

If you want to learn how to prepare for gum grafting or what happens during the procedure, please continue reading this article for all the information you need.

Preparing for Gum Grafting

When you begin preparing for the gum graft surgery near you, the dentist offers you three types of gum grafts. The first is a free gingival graft (it’s not free of charge), a connective tissue graft, and a pedicle graft.

The dentist in Weston, Toronto, ON, will discuss the three procedures and provide recommendations for your specific needs. However, do not jump at the free gingival graft concentrating on the word ‘free’ because the dentist charges all procedures.

After you decide to undergo the gum grafting procedure, you are not required to fast or change your diet right until the process. You need to appear before the dentist for your scheduled appointment, and the professional confirms the type of graft you are undergoing. However, you need to arrange for someone to drive you back home to and from the appointment. You receive anesthesia during the procedure, making it unsafe for you to drive.

Expectations during the Gum Grafting Procedure

You receive local anesthesia to numb the area where the gum grafting is scheduled. However, if you want to remain unconscious during the surgery, you can request more robust anesthesia from gum grafting in Weston, ON, which they provide in some circumstances.

Depending on your specific needs, your dentist performs one of the following:

• Free Gingival Graft: The specialist removes a tiny piece of tissue from the roof of your mouth and switches it to the area needing gum tissue. Free gingival grafts are beneficial if your gums are thin and need additional tissue to prevent a recession.
• Connective Tissue Graft: a tiny flap in the roof of your mouth is unfolded by the specialist to remove a piece of connective tissue from beneath the top layer of tissue. The tissue removed is sutured in the area where gum tissue is needed. Connective tissue grafts are the most commonly prescribed by dentists.
• Pedicle Grafts: the specialist creates a flap of tissue next to the gum recession to use the flap to cover the area of the receding gums. In the pedicle graft procedure, your gum tissue is moved over the downturn with regional tissue rather than removing it from a different part of your mouth. Pedicle grafts are incredibly successful because they don’t cut off blood flow from other parts of your mouth. However, pedicle grafts require sufficient gum tissue in the area around your receding gums.

Periodontal surgical procedures don’t require plenty of time, and after the specialist completes suturing the graft, they will have you wash your mouth using an antibacterial mouthwash. The specialist will also discuss how to care for the gum graft until you recover.

Expectations during Recovery from the Gum Grafting Procedure

You can return home shortly after the specialist completes the procedure. However, in some cases, the specialist may have you wait for a couple of hours to observe you and ensure there aren’t any issues with the surgical process.

During your first week of recovery, you must subsist on a diet of soft and cold foods to ensure you don’t damage the graft. Eating hot or harrowing foods can burn or irritate the graft and are best avoided. The specialist would have recommended an antibacterial mouthwash to prevent infections for at least two weeks. The mouthwash helps prevent plaque buildup on your teeth or create issues with the graft. You mustn’t brush and floss your teeth near the graft area until the specialist recommends doing so. Brushing and flossing the area during your recovery can open the wound or cause infections.

You can manage any discomfort you feel using over-the-counter painkillers but must stay away from strenuous activities or exercising until permitted by the specialist to go ahead.

Your recovery completes in about two weeks after undergoing the gum grafting surgery. You must schedule follow-up appointments with the specialist and begin brushing and flossing two weeks after the procedure. Your comprehensive recovery requires about a month or more, depending on your overall health and how well you care for your mouth during recovery.