Grafting
Post-Operative Care
*The 4 days following the surgery are critical for the success of the graft.
*Complete immobility of the graft is a must for a successful outcome of the procedure.
Instructions:
- Do not Smoke.
- Keep ice on your face at the graft site for the next 2 hours alternating 20 minutes on 20 minutes off.
- Keep a soft diet and avoid alcoholic beverages/substances and hot or spicy food for the next 48 hours.
- You should also refrain from rinsing, physical exercise, and taking drugs containing aspirin, for the first 24 hours.
- Chlorhexidine gluconate 0.12% to start the day after surgery – Rinse twice a day for 3 weeks
- If the sutures are not dissolvable, they will be removed after 14 days
- 14 days after surgery – a cotton swab, dipped in Chlorhexidine gluconate, should be used in lieu of a toothbrush to clean the teeth of the grafted site. Continue this for 6 weeks. After a 6-week period, gentle brushing of the area can be initiated.
What to Expect:
- Discomfort at the site of the graft and also where we harvested the tissue is expected for 3-4 days.
- The grafted tissue may look whitish to purplish. Do not worry about color changes during the first 2 weeks.
Post Op appointments: (these can be combined with other visits, i.e. exams, cleanings, fillings etc.)
- 14 Days
- 6 weeks
- 3 months
- 6 months
- 1 year
If you have any questions, please call our office.