Before we address the level of pain or discomfort you may encounter after a gum grafting procedure you first need to agree that pain itself is relative. When a dentist or physician asks about our pain level on a scale from 1 to 10, we all have our subjective responses. Pain is relative to our personal experiences and our mental and physical composition. With that as a baseline, you will have some discomfort after gum grafting. First, let’s discuss the reasons for needing gum grafting, the surgical procedure and finally the healing process.
Why Consider a Gum Grafting Procedure?
Gum grafting is usually necessary because of gum recession. This is a natural result of aging and can be accelerating by some personal habits. Gum recession happens when the root of the tooth becomes exposed. The tooth root does not have the hard protective enamel that the crown has so this can result in increased sensitivity to both hot and cold and will lead to bone loss. It can even progress to the loss of the tooth. Gum recession also affects your smile. Over time you will not immediately notice the change, but the visual perception of balance between teeth and gums are changing. Gum grafting can also have positive health implications as well as improved self-image with the improvements made with your smile. If you do not practice proper oral hygiene, you can be allowing plaque to buildup on your teeth which then infects the gums causing periodontal or gum disease. This is the primary cause of accelerating gum recession. Smoking will also negatively affect your gums. Diabetes will also advance gum recession and even overly aggressive brushing with a stiff-bristle toothbrush will have a negative effect. Finally, there is also your own genetic makeup.
The Gum Grafting Procedure
Usually, the graft will come from the roof of your mouth. Then this soft grafting tissue will be added to the recession area with surgical sutures. The graft could also come from another gum area that has an excess amount or sometimes it can come from a tissue bank. With the administration of a local anesthesia, you will have no pain or discomfort during your procedure. When the anesthesia wears off you will encounter some discomfort.
The Recovery and Healing Process
You will be sore for a day or two and you may encounter some minor swelling. The level of your discomfort can usually be neutralized with an over-the-counter pain medication. If your pain is elevated your dentist may prescribe additional pain medication. An antibiotic may be prescribed to minimize the possibility of infection. You will be told to NOT brush your teeth near your sutures. You will be given a list of food and drink to avoid. This is about eating softer foods to minimize both biting and chewing. Hot beverages should also be avoided. This will last about a week and then the restrictions will be removed, again based on the extent of the procedure and your ability to heal. The discomfort is short lived and is better than the daily ongoing sensitivity from the exposed tooth roots.
