How Painful is Gum Grafting?
As gums recede, more of your tooth’s roots become visible, which can cause sensitivity to cold and hot to develop and make your teeth appear longer than they are. Gum recession is most commonly due to gum disease, but can also occur due to genetic predisposition, heavy tartar buildup, clenching and grinding, or even brushing your teeth too aggressively. Unfortunately, gum tissue does not naturally regenerate, however there are treatment options available to correct recessed gums, such as gum graft surgery.
There are generally three types of grafts that can be performed, which are the connective tissue graft, free gingival graft, and soft tissue allograft (donor tissue). Most grafts that are performed are the soft tissue allograft, which does not involve taking tissue from your palate. The tissue is stitched under your natural gum tissue over multiple areas to cover the exposed roots. Because local anesthetics will be applied, you will not experience any pain while the grafting procedure is being performed, however once the procedure is complete and the anesthesia has worn off, you will likely experience some swelling and mild discomfort for a few days along with some bruising.
How much pain or discomfort you will feel and how long the recovery process will take will largely depend on the type of graft used. If the graft tissue was taken from the roof of your mouth, this will result in there being two surgical sites that will need to heal, which means more discomfort and a longer recovery period. If donor tissue was used, you can still expect a few days of mild discomfort and possibly swelling, but the recovery process will be much faster. The other factor that will determine how painful the recovery process is will be the severity of your case. Patients whose gums are severely recessed in multiple areas will require more grafting material and may need to schedule multiple appointments to complete the entire process.
During this recovery period, it is important to follow aftercare instructions provided by your periodontist, which may include taking prescribed pain medication to manage your discomfort along with antibiotic treatment to reduce your risk of developing an infection. It is important to take these medications as prescribed. You may experience some side effects to these medications, such as drowsiness or nausea. Avoid drinking alcohol, driving, and/or operating heavy machinery while taking these medications.
To prevent additional bleeding, do not brush the graft site until it has healed and follow a soft food diet for at least two weeks or longer if necessary/possible. During this time, you should also avoid or limit consumption of alcohol or use of tobacco products. It is also important to set aside at least 72 hours to rest after your procedure, after which you can return to most activities, though it would be best to wait longer before engaging in intense physical activities.
By following these and any additional aftercare instructions closely, you will experience less discomfort and recover faster.