Gum Grafts -- Anybody Get Them?

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#1 Post by **ingyandbert** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 10:34 am

Had a follow up evaluation with the periodontist yesterday and got bad news. We had been hoping to hold off on gum grafting until my braces are off, which is at best another year. He examined me right before my braces went on in January, and things didnâ€™t look too bad. But yesterday he said my gums had receded a lot since January and we canâ€™t afford to let it go any longer. So it looks like Iâ€™ll be undergoing grafting in all four quadrants, one side in probably in September and the other in October.

And thereâ€™s even more bad news. He said there is not any place in my mouth from which tissue can be harvested. Iâ€™ve got none to spare anywhere, so weâ€™ll have to go with donor tissue (Ick! Ew! Gross!). I asked him what is going on with my tissues and he said itâ€™s all genetic. There is no disease process, Iâ€™m not doing anything wrong (I floss everyday and have practically forever). He said I have my parents to thank for giving me very thin tissue. (Iâ€™ve also got very fine hair and thin fingernails, so I guess it goes with the territory). The good news is he showed me before and after photos of other patients and the difference is dramatic. Youâ€™d never know their gums had been grafted. They look great.

Anyhow, if anyone has undergone this procedure, especially using donor tissue, Iâ€™d like to hear what Iâ€™m in for. No need to sugar coat, just give it to me straight!

#2 Post by **Attagirl2** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 1:19 pm

Hi ingyandbert. I had to have skin grafts placed over the roots of seven of my teeth. I was lucky enough to be able to use my own skin, so can't help you with that question. I don't believe what I had done, is what you are going to have done. Mine was over the roots (lower or higher that the area around the teeth). I found it very interesting and on the second go round (I also had it done in two stages) I had him explain everything he was doing. It did not hurt. Afterwords, I did take two ibuprophin every few hours for a couple of days. I did not need to get the prescription pain killer he wrote for me. I can honestly say, if you have been through braces, you will do fine with this surgery.

Good luck to you, Attagirl

Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:23 pm

ingyandbert, I have not had anything like that done yet. I have been told I will probably need some skin grafting and maybe even bone graft in the hole where my impacted canine came out of.

That is kind of a strange feeling to think about donor skin in your mouth. I just never thought of that before.

Good luck, keep us posted.

#4 Post by **ingyandbert** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 7:15 am

Thanks, guys. Attagirl, some of the grafting will be done near the root areas. I'm told I'll have to have packing in my mouth for 2-3 days, which sounds like a nuisance. Way Too Old, the idea of using donor grafts is kinda creepy but the Perio explained to me that the cells are removed from the tissue, blood is taken from me and my platelets are removed and placed on the graft in order to fool it into thinking it's my own skin. Then my own cells generate inside the graft tissue so for all intents and purposes, the tissue becomes my own. That makes me feel a little better, but the whole thing still smacks of Frankenstein to me, lol!

#5 Post by **josephine** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:09 pm

Search this site for "gum graft" and you should get a bunch of stories from the rest of us about this process. Summary: like many things, it sounds worse than it is.

#6 Post by **phanta** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:32 pm

Hi ingyandbert,
sorry to hear about this - regardless of the outcome, sounds like you'll have to go through something pretty unpleasant.

I would do a web search, because doctor's pictures are one thing, but you want to know the percentage of good outcomes overall. Try to find out what dangers lie in this whole process and possibly take steps to minimize the bad, if you can.

Find out what's the worst that can happen if you do get a donor graft - and if you don't do it (is that an option at all?)

I know one person, he's in his 50's. He's had to have donor grafts due to periodontal disease and his work was done very well, but I also know he paid a lot of money to one of top doctors in D.C.

Are you confident in your doctor?

Sorry if this is not much help, but want to wish you GOOD LUCK!

#7 Post by **ingyandbert** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:37 pm

Thank you, Phanta. Yes, my periodontis is very well respected and I trust him. I am getting a send opinion first though, just because it will make my husband feel more comfortable. He had gum grafts done in the past and he said it was pretty miserable. He wants to make sure I really need them. I believe I have a higher tolerance for discomfort than he does, so I'm not expecting to be as miserable as he was. But who knows.

#8 Post by **Kittysopretty** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 6:45 am

I had bottom grafting done. It wasn't so bad and my BIGGEST advice would be to get as many done at once as possible. My perio nearly insisted on doing half at one time and half another time. I was like HELL NO. If I have to have a liquid diet for a week etc I want it all over with at one shot.

#9 Post by **flowertowngal** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:51 pm

I had gum grafts done using my own tissue but I was talking to my boss one day and found out he had grafts done with donor tissue - but he called it - hold on to your stomachs people - cadaver tissue - yuck!!!

But as gross as it sounds, he said it was SO easy to get done because the experts say that the only place you will feel pain is the donor site - and that was true for me. They scraped the tissue off of the roof of my mouth and basically sewed it on my gumline - well, my gumline did not hurt one single second but the roof of my mouth? Ouch!! So he said he had absolutely no pain with the procedure.

It's still gross though...what we go thru, huh? amazing...