https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:41:16 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2038020 Mon, 24 Jun 2019 22:09:51 +0000 kellygirl 2038020@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've been avoiding reading this. They are in my future too (thank you braces)--my recession is holding steady but I imagine at some point I will have to have them. Good luck and let us know how it goes! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2037946 Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:01:31 +0000 elpgal 2037946@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Peri, good luck with the procedure and healing. Let us know how it goes. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2035298 Fri, 14 Jun 2019 01:37:03 +0000 Peri 2035298@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi Eligal, yep I know the feeling. My former dentist did tell me I needed them, but I ignored him and he didn't push. My new dentist (who I already like better and trust more, long story) was a bit more insistent. I'm just jumping all in now...if it has to be done I want it all done asap. So...next week. I'll post about it when it's done. Bleh.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2034894 Thu, 13 Jun 2019 02:22:44 +0000 elpgal 2034894@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It's heartening to read your experiences. I was told something similar last week and it really got me down. </p> <p>I had been going to a very nice old-school dentist and everything was fine and dandy who retired recently. I went to see a new dentist, who wants me to get deep-cleanings done every 3 months, wrote me a consult for a gum graft and told me I had bone loss, recession and deep pockets. *sigh* </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2033791 Sun, 09 Jun 2019 17:04:20 +0000 Janet 2033791@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have not but it may be in my future eventually. Periodontal disease runs strongly in my family. I go to the perio twice a year and my regular dentist twice a year. So four professional cleanings a year, and that is keeping a couple of problematic areas in check. I’ve had the scaling procedure twice in my life (approx 10 years between), and it’s not pleasant but I’ll do what I need to to try to keep my gums from getting worse. Apparently I have begun to experience a little bit of bone loss, which is concerning. So I am reading all of your accounts with interest and appreciation for your sharing. </p> <p>I wish you well in this! I hope it’s successful and your recovery is speedy and as comfortable as possible. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2033788 Sun, 09 Jun 2019 15:52:11 +0000 Helena 2033788@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have and ditto what others have said - it's not fun for sure, but the donor part was definitely the worst. I don't recall the recovery being particularly bad after the first couple of days. I had mine done probably 20+ years ago now and I haven't had a relapse in the recession (which was the result of braces).</p> <p>Good luck with it! xx </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2033711 Sun, 09 Jun 2019 02:43:25 +0000 Classically Casual 2033711@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I had one smallish graft done by a very skilled periodontist. I insisted on lots of nitrous oxide. Overall, it wasn’t that difficult, painful.</p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2033687 Sun, 09 Jun 2019 01:10:43 +0000 Suz 2033687@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Peri</b>, I PM'd you -- <b>Rachy</b> is right. My experience was similar to <b>Diana'</b>s in some ways and different in others. And I've had 3 operations for this (in different parts of the mouth). I did not have them done all at once. I was my own donor and agree that it's the donor site that is most painful.&nbsp;</p> <p>My grafts are completely invisible -- no one would know they are there, so I'm not sure what the difference is between Diana's and mine. One of mine is on my front two teeth, too!&nbsp;</p> <p>Like her, I eat, brush, floss, and otherwise live my life exactly as before. </p> <p>I'm glad I had it done. I was born missing one tooth so had to have an implant and somehow around the implant site the gums got weakened; meanwhile, my gums are overall weaker than is normal for my age, whereas my teeth are strong and terrific. If I wanted to save the teeth, this had to be done, and it's worked a charm -- both cosmetically and functionally, I feel back to normal. </p> <p>If you trust your periodontist, I would absolutely go for it and ignore the comments of people who tell you scare stories. I can't actually imagine what it would mean to have an unsuccessful experience -- meaning the implant didn't take? I guess that could happen, but surely that is rare? Anyway, it's painful at the donor site -- not so much at the implant site -- and it heals up and then, voila! A lovely new smile. &nbsp;:)&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2033581 Sat, 08 Jun 2019 14:14:07 +0000 Diana 2033581@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, I think if you’re not your own donor, it will not be as bad to have both sides done at once. At least it will be a lot less bloody. I honestly found the healing of the donor site more annoying than the healing of the graft itself, because any minor trauma would make the donor site bleed. </p> <p>I don’t do anything special for the grafts now that they are healed. I brush, floss, eat exactly as I did before. Honestly most of the time I forget they are there. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2033578 Sat, 08 Jun 2019 14:00:10 +0000 Peri 2033578@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks Cat, that was a good article. I'm in the US and turning 60 btw. I probably should have had this 10 years ago but my dentist at the time kept doing root fillings instead.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2033577 Sat, 08 Jun 2019 13:54:45 +0000 Peri 2033577@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yikes, Diana, I'm scheduled to get both sides at once. I do have a very high rated perio and he was neutral on the pros and cons but my dentist was leaning toward the pro all at once side. I want it over with and move on to other things. I've been considering how to manage soft food only...looked into protein powder for smoothies.&nbsp;</p> <p>Now I'm on the fence though.</p> <p>And not my own...donor. They said it was too much otherwise. That's another thing creeping me out, but people get organ transplants so I'm trying to get over that.&nbsp;</p> <p>Now that you are healed, can you eat and brush normally or do you still have to baby them? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2033569 Sat, 08 Jun 2019 13:18:23 +0000 Diana 2033569@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have! (In my mid 30s no less, so you’re doing better than me!) It was a miserable experience but they worked and my gums have stopped receding. I had 2 done, one on each side of my lower gums. </p> <p>My #1 advice is make sure you have a good periodontist do them. And if they don’t insist on doing only one side at a time you should definitely ask for it. (My perio said he would never do both sides at once but some will.). It will mean 2 separate unpleasant experiences but if they only do one side you can still (sort of) eat afterwards. Mine also wanted to wait a couple of months to see if the first graft would take before doing the second. </p> <p>I assume you know the gory details of the procedure so I won’t go into detail. Assuming you are getting self-grafts, you’ll have the graft itself (with a protective dressing) and a wound at the donor site on your upper palate. It’s the donor site that’s unpleasant mostly. The graft is fine - you just ignore and don’t disturb it- but my donor sites bled a lot(which is normal). It didn’t hurt (Either during the procedure, with lots of novacaine, or after it wore off), although it can be kind of unpleasantly bloody (sorry). You’ll want ice packs for after, as it will cause more swelling than a regular dental procedure. You might get a bruise (I did) that will look like you got punched in the jaw. They’ll prob tell you what aftercare you need, but what I did was:ice immediately to reduce swelling, dilute peroxide or listerine rinses (bc you cant brush the side w/the graft), tea bags on the donor site to stop bleeding. Soft food (obvs) that you can eat with only one side of your mouth. I was also told no strenuous exercise or other activities that would increase your blood pressure or anything very cold or hot for 48 hrs since that increases the risk that the graft will basically come unstuck. </p> <p>I’m not going to lie, it was miserable for the first few days. About a week in things were better - they removed the stitches and dressings and the donor site had stopped intermittently bleeding. I think it took maybe 2 weeks to completely heal - but bc he only did one side at a time I could mostly eat fine with the other. </p> <p>I hope I haven’t scared you! I did not enjoy the experience but I’d do it again because 5 yrs later I don’t have additional gum recession and my tooth sensitivity is much better. You can’t get guns to ever reverse the recession, only stop it, so I wouldn’t wait forever.</p> <p>Edit: don’t know if you’ve seen what they look like but you should know that they’re not invisible. Mine are quite obvious but are in a place nobody would see unless I show them, so it doesn’t bug me. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2033561 Sat, 08 Jun 2019 12:07:17 +0000 The Cat 2033561@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Not yet. But it might be necessary later ... I have had other oral surgery, with pleasing results. I live in Scandinavia.</p> <p>Where in the world do you live? And how old are you? Found no info in your profile. Please consider to add some personal info there--it would make it easier for the forum to offer adequate advice.</p> <p>I hope the following information on gum graft will be useful to you:<br /> <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322115.php" rel="nofollow">https://www.medicalnewstoday.c.....322115.php</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2033546 Sat, 08 Jun 2019 08:39:04 +0000 rachylou 2033546@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I’m thinking maybe Suz had a gum graft? I’ve never heard a bad story... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-here-had-gum-grafts#post-2033530 Sat, 08 Jun 2019 03:44:59 +0000 Peri 2033530@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm experiencing way too much recession for my age and three opinions have said gum grafts. I'm scheduled for it, but scared also. I know several people it didn't work very well on. I'm hoping someone can give me good information on what to expect. (No horror stories please!) </p>