Gum graft diary: Day 1 - the surgery

Before the surgery

I was quite nervous in the morning, but I did a huge workout (no exercise for 7 days after the surgery) and ate a massive lunch consisting of all the crunchy, crispy, chewy delicious things that would be forbidden for the next few weeks. 

At the clinic

I opted for oral sedation, which is essentially a sleeping pill that I took half an hour before surgery, along with the first dose of antibiotics. The oral sedation leaves you mostly conscious through the surgery itself so that you can still respond to instructions, but makes the time go by faster. Since my surgery was around 4.5 hours long, the surgeon recommended this to me.

PS - last time, in 2012, I went without oral sedation. The surgery was about 2 hours, and it was totally fine. 

Personally, I didn't find too much of a difference - although it was definitely relaxing, I didn't think it was essential.  But I am not a nervous patient. If you are really nervous, definitely go for the sedation.

In the chair

Many people will tell you that the worst part is the injections, and I agree.  For the rest, you can just feel sensations of pressure, maybe some tugging, but that's about it. There really is nothing to be afraid of. 

During a very long surgery like mine, the anaesthetic might wear off. Don't worry, it doesn't just suddenly disappear from your system and leave you in agony - you will just notice a sharper tugging feeling and maybe a little pain (like during the injections). Just stick up your hand and ask for more numbing.  

Halfway through the surgery, we stopped and I took oral painkillers (ibuprofen), since the anaesthetic would have worn off on my top arch while the surgeon was still working on the bottom arch.  

My surgery was done using the "tunnel" technique, which means all that tugging had involved:

• Root planing - to clean your teeth and prepare the surfaces so that the graft will be able to attach to them
• Incisions - cutting into the gum to create a pocket for the alloderm, leaving the papilla (the bit of gum between your teeth) intact
• Dissection - using an instrument to lift the gum away and to join up all the pockets from the bone
• Hydrate the alloderm material and insert it into the first pouch - the alloderm itself looks unremarkable, a sort of white/pink rectangle of soft material.
• Pull the AlloDerm through all of the pouches - so it lies across all the teeth that are being grafted. 
• Suture the AlloDerm in place, then suture the gums over the AlloDerm - this part may take the longest, as there are about 4 loops per stitch. 

The tunnel technique is best because it leaves the papilla intact, and that means better blood supply to the graft area.  Blood supply is absolutely key in making sure that the graft takes! 

Afterwards

My husband picked me up from the surgery and we got a taxi home.  I held a small icebag on my face on the way back and went straight to bed. I didn't have any noticeable pain or bleeding overnight.  Fingers crossed for a good outcome this time!

If my surgery sounds like it was a breeze, that's because it was!  I think a lot of it has to do with choosing a very experienced surgeon, as I've read a lot of horror stories - but if you are reading them and getting scared, please be assured that there are lots of good experiences too!  

Has anyone else got a story they want to share? Good or bad, leave a comment below and you will probably help someone out!