Healthy teeth require both gum tissue and bone for support and structure. However, pathologies like gum disease can cause gum recession, which leaves your teeth more vulnerable and exposed to plaque and bacteria. To fix that, you may need soft tissue grafting in Nashville.
Similar to bone grafting, this procedure uses parts of your soft tissue to foster growth on your gums and improve the appearance of your smile. Although it’s an oral surgery, the recovery process isn’t painstakingly long.
Here’s what to expect after a soft tissue grafting procedure.
What’s Gum Recession?
Gum recession is a process where the tissue surrounding teeth pulls away from a tooth, exposing more of its root to bacteria. This can cause damage to your teeth’s supporting bones, leading to decay and tooth loss.
Sadly, gum recession is a very common dental problem—almost half of all American adults aged 30 or older are affected by it, even without knowing it. That’s because this process is very gradual and easy to ignore.
After treating any underlying issue, like gum disease, your dentist may recommend gum grafting to restore the lost gum tissue. To do so, your dental professional will make an incision on the roof of your mouth and remove a small wedge of inner tissue.
This is placed over the exposed tooth roots to cover them and secured in place with sutures. Over time, the added tissue will integrate with your existing gums, covering your tooth’s roots and restoring your oral health.
Recovery From Gum Tissue Graft
Following a soft tissue graft, you can immediately return home. However, since you will be given a sedative, you must have someone drive you home after the procedure.
The location of the procedure, the amount of gum restored, and the presence of underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, all affect how long it takes to recover. It usually takes aboout two weeks, though, and during that time, you will need to take extra care to avoid opening the sutures.
Some of the things we recommend are:
- After your procedure, stick to a liquid or soft food diet for a few days.
- Make an effort to consume things like meatloaf, cooked veggies, smoothies or protein shakes, and oatmeal. These are abundant in nutrients like zinc, protein, and vitamins A and C that support healing.
- Refrain from brushing or flossing the repaired gum line until the area is healed
- Use an antibiotic mouthwash to help manage plaque while your mouth heals and lower your risk of infection.
- We may prescribe painkillers or suggest over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs if you have severe post-operative pain.
Gum Tissue Graft: When to Call the Doctor
If you have any strange post-operative symptoms, give your dentist a call. This could be the case if you suffer from:
- Continuous bleeding, even after 20 minutes of pressure,
- Extreme pain, swelling, and bruising.
Get a Soft Tissue Grafting in Nashville
As with any surgical procedure, soft tissue grafting can have an uncomfortable recovery process. However, when the other option is risking tooth loss, it’s a timeline worth experiencing—at least, that’s what we say here at Nashville Dental Implants.
If you need gum grafting or are suffering from any unexpected side effects, reach out!
