connective tissue graft (gum graft)

[greta-inbaja]

Hi, I wasn't thinking ahead and just got a gum graft. Its a connective tissue graft so the donor site on the roof of my mouth is stitched. The grafts are on a bicuspid and the one next to it. I was just getting ready to pay for a dive trip starting oct 15. That is almost 7 wks from the graft date. Anyone have any experience on how long it takes to heal, to the point of tolerating a regulator in the mouth?? For just day to day life the healing shouldn't be a problem, its whether a regulator might not be tolerated or worse.... damaging. On my next visit I might just bring my regulator to the dentist and show him show it works and where it sits in the mouth. For anyone needing the procedure.. it wasn't that painful. IF anyone has any experience with the healing process, please chime in. Thanks

 

[meagicano]

I'm subscribing to this because I was told by the hygienist a few months ago that I may need this procedure. Apparently I brush my teeth too often.

Glad to hear it wasn't too painful - everything I saw online after googling it has inspired a great deal of fear!

 

[pocky21]

My memory is a bit fuzzy as I had the procedure done some 12-14 years ago. Stitches were out in I think two weeks and past three weeks I was good to go with whatever my heart desires (don't quote me on this, just a vague recollection).

I can tell you, however, to avoid eating pizza, orange juice, and really anything else besides bread and water until fully healed...unless you like the feeling of someone jamming a hot soldering iron into the roof of your mouth.

Oh, and the procedure itself is actually kinda fun - weeeeee nitrous oxide!!! :fruit:

 

[guruboy]

My friend had this done. 7 weeks should be fine.

Didn't stick for her though. Tried it twice.

Worst case you do it again... =p

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

October 15...shouldn't be a problem. Barring complications, the sutures come out in a week to two weeks. Often within a month you can't tell where the surgery has been performed. I typically am restoring teeth in the sites of this type of surgery in about 3 months. You probably could return to diving 2-3 weeks after surgery as long as the regulator tabs don't impinge on the soft tissue.

There are typically two ways to do this type of surgery. There is the free gingival graft and the connective tissue graft. The free gingival graft creates a large wound on the palate where the tissue is harvested. This wound cannot be "closed", only covered, and can take a longer time to heal. The tissue donor site can be rather uncomfortable. The actual graft sites involve creating a recipient bed and then placing a block of tissue (from the palate) over the gum bed... next to the teeth with recession and sutured to place. Care must be taken not to disturb the sutured blocks until they "take".

The Connective tissue graft is somewhat different. When harvesting donor tissue from the palate, a small incision is made and a thin sliver of connective tissue is harvested from under the palate skin. This incision is closed with sutures so there is no open wound. The harvested tissue is then woven under the gums between teeth and over the recession areas, then sutured. Again, care must be taken not to disturb the graft. However, the graft is much less bulky and less easily displaced. A variation of this procedure forgoes the palatal tissue harvest. instead, donor tissue from a bottle is used. This technique is often used when there are many sites to be grafted thus creating the need for multiple surgeries just to get enough tissue to cover all sites. Also patients wishing to avoid the harvest surgery may choose to use the bottle.

Harvested tissue is considered the "Gold Standard"... the best way. However, artificial or tissue banked donor material is actually a close second.

Enjoy your dive in October. If you want to show your dentist your regulator, it can't hurt.

Laurence Stein DDS

 

[greta-inbaja]

Thanks everyone! For anyone considering the procedure. It really wasn't bad, The dentist used just lidocaine of some sort, no other drugs. It was fine. I had ice cream and Percocet for dinner the 1st night and then really didn't even need advil or anything. But I am glad I iced my cheek for 24 hrs afterward. Its is still slightly swollen 4 days out Thanks Dr. Stein. The graft site is pretty swollen still, I guess that is why it suddenly occurred to me the reg might irritate the area.