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*Treatment results may vary
15 days!
It's been a little over two weeks and if it weren't for the stitches and grafting mesh I would be almost entirely back to normal. The roof of my mouth is healed and pain-free. Where the skin was removed is very smooth and feels a bit more sensitive than the rest of my palate, but there isn't any pain (or extreme sensitivity to heat/cold, etc).
The surgical glue and mesh is starting to come apart a bit. It detached from both of my canines so I can see the graft. It's nice and pink and definitely thicker than when I started, however the gumline isn't any higher at all which is disappointing but that was never guaranteed in the first place. I'm anxious to see the gum around my incisors but the mesh there is hanging on tenaciously. I was hoping the graft would get rid of some of the recession, but I suspect that none of my gumline is higher.
The stitches are a bit uncomfortable, especially when the mesh/glue first came off. I don't think I have dissolving stitches, since they look exactly the same as at the beginning! My appointment isn't for another two weeks, which is a long time to have this stuff hanging around in my mouth. I can't brush the graft area until they take the stitches out, so that means two more weeks of using the peridex. I have been using proxy brushes on the braces on those teeth and I don't see a lot of buildup on them, they look pretty normal.
I'm eating pretty much anything I want with a fork and knife, but of course only chew in the back of my mouth. So, overall, this was NOT at all as bad as I feared, even with my braces on. I am disappointed that my gumline isn't higher, but there is only so much they can do when you have no supporting gum tissue!
If you are in need a gum graft, do it now before your situation gets worse!
The surgical glue and mesh is starting to come apart a bit. It detached from both of my canines so I can see the graft. It's nice and pink and definitely thicker than when I started, however the gumline isn't any higher at all which is disappointing but that was never guaranteed in the first place. I'm anxious to see the gum around my incisors but the mesh there is hanging on tenaciously. I was hoping the graft would get rid of some of the recession, but I suspect that none of my gumline is higher.
The stitches are a bit uncomfortable, especially when the mesh/glue first came off. I don't think I have dissolving stitches, since they look exactly the same as at the beginning! My appointment isn't for another two weeks, which is a long time to have this stuff hanging around in my mouth. I can't brush the graft area until they take the stitches out, so that means two more weeks of using the peridex. I have been using proxy brushes on the braces on those teeth and I don't see a lot of buildup on them, they look pretty normal.
I'm eating pretty much anything I want with a fork and knife, but of course only chew in the back of my mouth. So, overall, this was NOT at all as bad as I feared, even with my braces on. I am disappointed that my gumline isn't higher, but there is only so much they can do when you have no supporting gum tissue!
If you are in need a gum graft, do it now before your situation gets worse!
Day 4
Day 4 of ...many. (30? 60?)
Still no actual pain like I imagined there'd be after having my mouth cut up, but definitely some discomfort starting. My palate is starting to feel a bit raw and the stent seems to be aggravating it and also putting pressure on my teeth. It doesn't help that my braces wires are now poking me, which shouldn't happen since I haven't had an adjustment in over a month. But, somehow, my teeth have moved. Ugh. Wires poking is such an annoying an uncomfortable feeling!
The area around my graft feels dry sometimes and the rubbing against my lip is uncomfortable. Sometimes if I change my facial expression quickly/unintentionally it feels like I'm pulling on the stitches.
I've been brushing everywhere except directly on the graft-- I carefully brush the tops of the grafted teeth using my braces as a guide (and protector). I floss all ungrafted teeth at night and use proxy brushes as much as I have to in order to clean food from my braces (very carefully around the graft, too...). I use chlorhexidine rinse 2x a day and so far don't notice any discoloring. I stopped drinking black tea because I read that tea (and coffee) tends to increase discoloration from chlorhexidine. My breath isn't bad, fortunately, like I've read on some people's reviews.
Hopefully the graft is healing all right. I went shopping today for the first time and was fine for awhile then I started to feel very weak and nauseous. Made it home fine, though.
Had some canned ravioli for the first time today (cut up very tiny) and it was nice to have almost normal food!
Still no actual pain like I imagined there'd be after having my mouth cut up, but definitely some discomfort starting. My palate is starting to feel a bit raw and the stent seems to be aggravating it and also putting pressure on my teeth. It doesn't help that my braces wires are now poking me, which shouldn't happen since I haven't had an adjustment in over a month. But, somehow, my teeth have moved. Ugh. Wires poking is such an annoying an uncomfortable feeling!
The area around my graft feels dry sometimes and the rubbing against my lip is uncomfortable. Sometimes if I change my facial expression quickly/unintentionally it feels like I'm pulling on the stitches.
I've been brushing everywhere except directly on the graft-- I carefully brush the tops of the grafted teeth using my braces as a guide (and protector). I floss all ungrafted teeth at night and use proxy brushes as much as I have to in order to clean food from my braces (very carefully around the graft, too...). I use chlorhexidine rinse 2x a day and so far don't notice any discoloring. I stopped drinking black tea because I read that tea (and coffee) tends to increase discoloration from chlorhexidine. My breath isn't bad, fortunately, like I've read on some people's reviews.
Hopefully the graft is healing all right. I went shopping today for the first time and was fine for awhile then I started to feel very weak and nauseous. Made it home fine, though.
Had some canned ravioli for the first time today (cut up very tiny) and it was nice to have almost normal food!
I've had gum recession on my bottom front teeth...
I've had gum recession on my bottom front teeth since I was in my late teens but it wasn't a prominent problem until I got braces a year ago and my teeth straightened out. My gums are healthy (no periodontal disease), they are just genetically thin and my underbite/crossbite/bruxism ruined whatever gum levels I did have.
Now that my teeth are straight the gum is extremely thin, transparent, and the roots of all 6 bottom front teeth are very prominent. I've been dreading the idea of a gum graft for years and kept putting off seeing a periodontist.
Well, today I had the mother of all gum grafts--- a free gingival graft (from my palate) on all 8 bottom front teeth while I'm still wearing braces. I had to go to the ortho first to remove the wire, then off to the perio. I chose oral sedation (halcion-- I took both pills) ***and*** nitrous (THANK GOD) and I have to say they both worked extremely well and the surgery flew by with no discomfort or gagging or anything that I was worried about.
The perio was able to get enough tissue from just one side of the palate, instead of both sides which was the original plan. That was a really nice surprise, healing will be a lot easier.
I'm on Tylenol 3 with codeine, antibiotics, antibiotic rinse, and celebrex. Tylenol doesn't normally work for me, but this stuff does (maybe it's the codeine).
I just got up a few minutes ago and got very nauseous and barely got back to bed without throwing up. Weird, hope that doesn't happen again. Vomit+delicate stitched graft= not a good combo.
Now that my teeth are straight the gum is extremely thin, transparent, and the roots of all 6 bottom front teeth are very prominent. I've been dreading the idea of a gum graft for years and kept putting off seeing a periodontist.
Well, today I had the mother of all gum grafts--- a free gingival graft (from my palate) on all 8 bottom front teeth while I'm still wearing braces. I had to go to the ortho first to remove the wire, then off to the perio. I chose oral sedation (halcion-- I took both pills) ***and*** nitrous (THANK GOD) and I have to say they both worked extremely well and the surgery flew by with no discomfort or gagging or anything that I was worried about.
The perio was able to get enough tissue from just one side of the palate, instead of both sides which was the original plan. That was a really nice surprise, healing will be a lot easier.
I'm on Tylenol 3 with codeine, antibiotics, antibiotic rinse, and celebrex. Tylenol doesn't normally work for me, but this stuff does (maybe it's the codeine).
I just got up a few minutes ago and got very nauseous and barely got back to bed without throwing up. Weird, hope that doesn't happen again. Vomit+delicate stitched graft= not a good combo.
Provider Review
Dr. Phillips