Gum Grafts - Anyone Had It Done?

[jdmorton]

I just got back from having two gum grafts done. OK, the medical term is gingival grafts. The anesthesia has not yet worn off, so I really don't know how much pain I'll be in. The procedure itself wasn't bad, as long as you don't think about it too much. It was weird watching the stitching; the loose end of the black thread kept tickling my face as the periondontist pulled it taunt.

Supposedly the worst pain will be where they took the healthy tissue - from the roof of my mouth (where it is fleshy). I was told it will feel like a bad pizza burn.

As to why I had it done - my regular dentist was worried that my gums were receding too much and that I might be getting to be high-risk for periondontal disease. The periondontist took x-rays my first visit and I've lost about 30 to 40 percent of the bone supporting my lower front teeth. My upper front teeth are a little better - only 15 to 20 percent bone loss. The gum grafts are to build up the gum tissue around the teeth to slow down the bone loss and provide more protection for the teeth.

I tell ya; ever since I had my hip replaced last Fall, people think I am game for any sort of body cutting. I think their attitude is "give 'em a shot of whiskey and a bullet to bite on" and away we go .

 

[dex]

I had some receeding gums in the front teeth - I went the other direction and had an epoxy added to the tooth. I'm happy with it.

 

[simple girl]

DH had this done 10 or 15 years ago. Drank Ensure and used pain killers for a few days (I think, it was a long time ago). No problems since.

 

[Nords]

Gum Grafts - Anyone Had It Done?

Nearly 30 years ago, after teenage years of scrubbing my teeth too hard when they had braces. Two patches over the gums below my lower canines.

I'd totally forgotten about them until I read this post. And I use an electric rotary toothbrush today.

 

[MooreBonds]

I had this done to me at the ripe young age of 22. I had braces, and the quack orthodontist had four of my teeth pulled during the braces process.

The problem? I still had one baby tooth that hadn't fallen out. She had that pulled, and the adult tooth above it. That, I understand.

however, she made me have the two other adult teeth on the other side of my mouth (symmetrically opposite across my front teeth) pulled to "make it look even". (note: I don't walk around with my mouth gaping open and my gums pulled back, so to this day I have no idea why she insisted on it).

Because my teeth moved so much, my gums receeded. I had to have it done on both lower gums (combination of that, and brushing too hard).

I was surprised that it actually didn't hurt after the local anesthetic wore off. I just kept pressing tea bags on the roof of my mouth and talfine life thif for a thay an a haf. And keeping some Tylenol flowing in my veins around the clock just in case...One positive side effect: I lost several pounds. (helps when you don't eat anything for two days, and lose a little bit of blood)

When they took the stitching out, it actually kind of tickled.

So far, so good - I've been careful to be gentle on my gums, and only use the Aquafresh Flex handle toothbrush (which helps absorb some of the pressure you exert on your gums). however, when I told my orthodontist that I didn't have any pain, the staff in her office said "yeah, sure", as though I would lie about it (not that I could stand any of the staff in her office...)

 

[megacorp-firee]

About 10 years ago, I had it done on my uppers and lowers over a period of a few months. He had to let the skin on the roof of my mouth 'heal' and re-grow before taking more. If my memory is correct I believe each (upper and lower) took 3 surgeries each. My problem was extreme receding of my gums due to heavy brushing (or so Dr. thinks).

IT HURT LIKE HELL. both roof of mouth and (but less than) area where skin was sutured.... and I was on horse bill pain killers. Sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news.

I got through this and went back for a few follow ups. The periodontis wanted to 'sand' the uppers to smooth out the job. It does not show when I talk/smile. I asked him if it was unhealthy for me to leave it this way. He said no, but that it didn't look nice and he wanted to 'finish the job'. I told him I would pass... I had had enough pain from this. He said it was included in the price. I told him to 'keep the change'

Gawd, you've just made me realize, I'm a freakin' mess... this along with the back problems, eye's are going... too much R&R music, so I can't hear too well, arteritis, polyps, loosing my hair, ... geez ... what next?

 

[Khan]

Gawd, you've just made me realize, I'm a freakin' mess... this along with the back problems, eye's are going... too much R&R music, so I can't hear too well, arteritis, polyps, loosing my hair, ... geez ... what next?

Carpal tunnel syndrome?
Ulnar nerve entrapment?
Adhesive capsulitis?

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

not gum graft but had some bone grafting done. while dealing with mom's alzheimer's i was grinding my teeth so badly in my sleep that i started self-extracting them and destroying the bone. found a really good periodontist who grafted cadaver bone into three quadrants, no damage to the fronts. did a great job. i can hardly even tell he did any work at all but for one location not readily seen.

i play with my silly fears of aging just for affect but i don't really have much of a problem dealing with stuff that goes wrong with the body. i see my body in rather mechanical fashion, so it is not much different than having the car worked on. whenever i'm in for any procedure (when i blew out spinal discs or dental stuff, etc) i often get comments on what a good patient i am. i just give them my body for the hour and let them do their thing.

 

[Nords]

Gawd, you've just made me realize, I'm a freakin' mess... this along with the back problems, eye's are going... too much R&R music, so I can't hear too well, arteritis, polyps, loosing my hair, ... geez ... what next?

Well, you'll either be an ER or you'll turn into Keith Richards...

 

[megacorp-firee]

Carpal tunnel syndrome?
Ulnar nerve entrapment?
Adhesive capsulitis?

Yes,
Don't know what that is, but sounds painful
ditto
... dry skin, loss of hair, tindinitis (sp), ocassional gout (my badge of honor ), beer belly (ok, now I'm bragging ), ...

 

[megacorp-firee]

i see my body in rather mechanical fashion, so it is not much different than having the car worked on. whenever i'm in for any procedure (when i blew out spinal discs or dental stuff, etc) i often get comments on what a good patient i am. i just give them my body for the hour and let them do their thing.

me too ... that's why my ss goes to 100. IMO, medical technology will get to the point where it will be possible to replace all of you body parts (if you catch it early enough). You just have to have the funds to do so.
...although you do make it sound like going to Earl Schibe (hey who remembers this guy ?).

 

[megacorp-firee]

Well, you'll either be an ER or you'll turn into Keith Richards...

I just saw a clip on some cable channel on him.... man talk about aging gracelessly

 

[FinanceDude]

...although you do make it sound like going to Earl Schibe (hey who remembers this guy ?).

Earl Scheib: $49.99.............ANY CAR, ANY COLOR!!!!

 

[unclemick]

Earl Scheib: $49.99.............ANY CAR, ANY COLOR!!!!

As old as - Unclemick!

Earl Scheib - $19.95 in Portland, Oregon. 1958 I knew a guy in high school had his 52 Ford done - a red shade of course.

heh heh heh

 

[megacorp-firee]

Earl Scheib: $49.99.............ANY CAR, ANY COLOR!!!!

Yep that's it... In By 9 Out By 5

I remember 19.95 then 29.95 ...
unclemick and I are older than you FD ...

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

...i can hardly even tell he did any work at all but for one location not readily seen.

nords' "nocebo effect" jinxed me. yesterday after cleaning doc came in for inspection and didn't like how much the gum receded at that not readily seen location. just back from my mucogingival graft. not fun.

 

[SecondCor521]

Gawd, you've just made me realize, I'm a freakin' mess... this along with the back problems, eye's are going... too much R&R music, so I can't hear too well, arteritis, polyps, loosing my hair, ... geez ... what next?

I hear colonoscopies are popular among your age group...

2Cor521

 

[megacorp-firee]

I hear colonoscopies are popular among your age group...

2Cor521

have had 2 already ... are you rubbing it in?

 

[SecondCor521]

have had 2 already ... are you rubbing it in?

Just a friendly "yankin' your chain" ;-)

I try not to make fun of people older than me. I'm old enough to realize they have a lot of wisdom I can try to apply to my own life. I'm also old enough to realize that I'll be "old" myself one day and get to have my own colonoscopy. I hear it's better than the alternatives, though.

2Cor521

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

smile and say vicadin

 

[megacorp-firee]

I hear it's better than the alternatives, though.

2Cor521

Amen to that ...

 

[SarahW]

I'm having a graft done on March 30; another tragic case of "enthusiastic brushing" according to the periodontist. She gave the choice of using material from my palate for the graft or "cadaver material"...eeek. Well, I chose the cadaver stuff because I prefer having one wound healing instead of two.

"I taste dead people." (Ok that was in poor 'taste.' Sorry.)