This answers my next question to you. I was wondering if you had the "superficial" layer of tissue removed from the roof of your mouth, or the underneath layer. It would appear that you had the top layer of tissue used for your graft.From what I read, the healing of the roof of your mouth is similar to a bad "pizza burn."How difficult was after-care? I can imagine a whole lot of salt-water gargling and some very gentle brushing. How long does this last for?My graft will be on the upper-right of my mouth, over the 2nd from the back molar, FWIW.
He took a scalpel and removed the tissue from the roof of my mouth that is near the gumline. He takes it from the opposite of your mouth that you are getting the graft done. The open wound looked all dark and purple at first, and then it gradually starts turning pink again as the tissue grows back. Since you are only having one area done, it will take less tissue. The healing of the roof of the mouth is somewhat like a bad pizza burn but worse (don't be scared). What hurts is the cells start to regenerate after about 4 days, and the tissue starts to tighten up. It also hurts during this time if your toothpaste spit touches that area. It stings bad for about 40 seconds. It's cool though how the tissue totally heals itself. They will tell you not to drink from a straw during this time, cause if a straw hits that area it hurts. Also, I never had stitches to cover the roof of my mouth, and he put puddy there the first day, but it falls out that same day, especially since it's in the inner part of your mouth where your tongue hits it. If it bleeds some on the first day, put a tea bag over it and it stops the bleeding fast. It never bled after the first day. The gum graft area he put puddy over, and it was on there for about 8 to 10 days, and then they removed it. They said sometimes that can fall off, but being that mine was on the lower part it stayed on pretty easily.I was never told to gargle with warm salt water, and i would think this would sting pretty bad when the tissue starts to grow back. After about 10 days the roof of the mouth starts feeling better, and it doesn't start to hurt until about your 4th day. With brushing, you don't brush the graft area while the puddy is on, but you can brush over it with toothpaste on a q-tip. After it is taken off, you can gently brush over the area. Don't use an electric toothbrush where the graft was done for about a month. The gum graft area never hurts, only the tissue at the roof of the mouth. The procedure is definitely worth it. I used prescription ibuprophen the first few days (it helps with swelling and he gave me 4 ibuprophens, which are equal to a painkiller, before he did the surgery), and then I used vicodin once the pain started. Some people just take tylenol for the pain and are fine. Me, I want the narcotics.
:X The benefit of this procedure is that although it requires sutures at the roof of the mouth, it is less painful since the wound where the tissue was removed is closed during healing. The layer of tissue is then relocated to the site of gum recession where it is stitched into place and will serve to protect the exposed root as living tissue.
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