RateItAll: The Opinion Network

I had the gum grafting procedure done a couple days ago...had hardly any pain at all; however, for the past two days my mouth has felt really irritated, sort of an itchy feeling. Is that normal?

i will be having gum grafting surgery in a few days, can someone tell me step by step of what they will be doing? how will the pain or swelling be, and if anyone has had this procedure done before please let me know what to expect.

Hello I had my 3rd Gum Graft TODAY, and I have to say that like the other surgeries, I dont feel any pain, I dont need to take pain medication, eventhough my first 2 surgeries were 6 teeth altogheter (1st surgery was upper side and 2nd one was down side) In fact, I need surgery in all my teeth! I am only 33 yo and I am very pleased by the way my teeth looks righ now, I can eat carefully, I am wearing a plastic palate to protect donor area. I recommend this surgery bcause it makes teeth looks healthy and normal. What u need is to find a good periodontist with experience to make you happy. Good Luck!! Lima-Peru

I've had eight gum grafts, some of them being free gingival grafts and others were subepithelial connective tissue grafts. The surgeries all went about the same. They take less than one hour. My periodontist used topical anestetics before administering anestetics by needle. She was very careful and the procedures were close to being pain free. Immediately after the surgery and before feeling any pain, I take the prescribed Tylenol with codeine. I continue to use the pain medication for about two days after each surgery and tolerate the discomfort very well. I would say to those who are facing gum graft surgery:
1. Carefully select a periodontist. Recommendations are very, very helpful.
2. Take your pain medication post surgery.
3. You'll be very pleased about two weeks after the surgery as most negative after effects will have passed.

Each time, I missed only one day from work - the day of the surgery. This was mostly for the need to apply ice for the first 24 hours (off and on) and the pain medication tires me out.

I have surgery #9 tomorrow. It's worth it to preserve my natural teeth. Hope this is helpful to you if you are considering this type of medical procedure.

I just had a lower gun graft on two teeth three days ago. Who ever says it feels like a pizza burn must not remember how it really feels. The procedure itself is torture and the pain after is unbelievable. You can't eat, the bleeding went on for two days and my lower jaw hurts and swollen like someone punched me in the face. The hole left in the top of my mouth had to be stitched to control the bleeding and the graft was glued on my lower teeth. Hydrocodone helps but it still hurts, the stitches, the graft and my top and lower jaw is throbbing. When I bend over it starts to bleed again. I will not have the other side done and now i'm thinking about cancelling my upper bone and gum graft, thanks to a bad orthodontist I have to suffer and I don't think I can do it again.

OK, call me ignorant. What is gum graft? Never heard of it.

Am 3 days post-graft right now. A few Advils the first and second day are all I've needed. Am still eating babyfood and meal-replacement drinks, and will be for a few more days, but that is only an inconvenience.

Thank you for your insight, the aftermath, sounds very painful to me.

Essentially a gum graft is very simple: 1)the dentist (usually a tal surgeon or a periodontist) cut a small piece of your palate, on the same side than you're getting the graft; 2) he then attach it to the gum (which has been previously cleaned and cut to receive the graft) with threads; 3) place a plaster on your palate and on your graft; 4) recommendation are to eat on the other side, avoid brushing on the side of the graft, be careful when brushing the other side, use ibuprofen if you feel inflamation, also it can feel like a small burn during 3-4 days. We see you in 7-10 days My personnal experience (gum graft on the right side): 1)everything is done under local anesthesia, so I felt nothing at all; 2) when it's started to unfreeze the palate was feeling like a burn, a little more than the so called small burn. However, a few hours later the plaster at the palate droped, (probably because I coughed, since I was producing a lot of saliva and finding a little difficult to swallow). Then, to my surprise the burn impression stoped as soon as the plaster droped. after that during the next 7 days it was sensitive, but that's all. And of sudden, on day 8, it stoped to be sensitive :) 3) at the gum level, it was a bit anoying but no more than that. I took ibuprofen twice (the 1st and the 3rd day), wasn't really necessary, but I did feel a difference, so you should use it. After 6 days it wasn't annoying anymore. 4) As I'm writting this I'm at the 10th day... (I'm in a congress - not the republican one - so I have to wait a total of 14 days) The toughest part now, is to avoid eating on the right side (where I got my graft), because I don't feel the sensitization anymore. Before I find it sensitive to swallow, especially for the palate, even water. I wasn't able to fully open my mouth, because I was feeling the gum stretching (just missing a few degrees, don't be afraid). Overall, it's in my opinion considered as a minor painless surgery, somewhat uncomfortable, in the aftermath.

Talk about pain! I have never experienced anything more painful in my life than the aftermath of the gum graft I had last Friday. I was told that some people don't need any pain relief at all after the procedure- yeah, right! You find me someone who doesn't notice a huge section missing from the roof of his mouth and a bulging, freakish-looking mass stitched onto his gum! Plus I haven't been able to eat or drink very well, even six days after the surgery. I'm grateful that I can preserve the health of my tooth, but I'm sure having to work for it.