Gingival 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 5 minutes on, 5 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
- For 14 days following surgery – a cotton swab, dipped in Chlorhexidine gluconate, should be used in lieu of a toothbrush to clean the teeth of the grafted site. At your two week follow up appointment, your dentist will direct how to clean these teeth, use cotton swabs until this appointment.
- Gently apply gauze to harvested site to help control bleeding as needed.
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.