What is the white stuff on my gum graft?

Gum grafts can change color during healing. Both the graft and the donor site sometimes turn white, three to five days after the procedure. This is normal healing. Much like a sunburn, the surface tissue sloughs off and then regenerates.

Is it normal for gum grafts to turn white?

For soft tissue “gum” grafts, the site(s) may appear white during the healing process (up to 2 weeks), this is normal and not a sign of infection. The tissue will change to a pink color as it heals.

How do I know if my gum graft is failing?

What are gum graft failure symptoms? If your gum graft failed, you'll probably notice a large patch of white tissue that has come off of your tooth. Its lack of color means that the gum graft lost blood supply and is dying.

What does an infected gum graft look like?

Gum graft infection

This will look like a thick yellow fluid that is leaking from the surgical site. It is important to make sure to take antibiotics during the healing process to help prevent infection.

How do I know my gum graft is healing?

You will know that healing has begun when the soft tissues are shrinking and there is less swelling. The gum tissues gradually starts to bind to the root surface and nearby bone surface as well. New vessels will also start to form and the tissues will receive enough blood supply.

Gum graft - Coronally advanced flap - Receding gums treatment ©

What should a gum graft look like after 5 days?

Do not look at the surgery site after leaving here. Some areas may remain sore for 5 to 6 days. The grafts may be a whitish or grayish appearance for 4 to 6 days after surgery, but this is normal until full blood circulation is restored.

What should a gum graft look like after 2 weeks?

The gum tissue will undergo changes for the next 1-2 weeks. The graft color may change from pink to white. This is NORMAL. Then the color will change to red and then back to pink as the swelling decreases.

What does a failed graft look like?

WHAT DOES A FAILED SKIN GRAFT LOOK LIKE? Compromised or failed skin grafts are characterized by continuous pain, numbness, fever, discoloration, redness, swelling, or a breakdown of tissue. The most obvious sign of an unhealthy skin graft is darkening skin that lacks the pink appearance of healthy skin.

How do you clean a gum graft site?

Protection of the gum graft is VERY IMPORTANT to ensure a successful “take” of the procedure. CARE OF MOUTH: DO NOT brush or floss in the graft site for TEN days after surgery. Then you may begin gentle brushing with a soft toothbrush for another two to four days and finally return to normal brushing.

How can you tell if a graft is infected?

The clinical clues suggesting graft infection especially those placed superficially include an inflammatory perigraft mass, overlying cellulitus, presence of exposed prosthetic graft, a sinus tract with persistent purulent drainage and/or bleeding and/or a palpable anastomotic pseudoaneurysm, graft thrombosis and ...

Can my gum graft fall off?

You need to wait up to 8 weeks or so for tissue maturation and to determine how much tissue has “taken”. If the graft tissue was thick to start with, the superficial layer will slough off but the deep parts will survive. (The most outside portion of the graft would not survive due to lack of blood supply.

How long until a gum graft is fully healed?

Gum grafting recovery

Most patients are fully healed in just one to two weeks. Most people do return to work the day after their procedure though. After gum grafting, your teeth may feel more sensitive than usual. Desensitizing toothpaste or mouthwash can help with this discomfort.

How long until gum graft feels normal?

Patients using tissue from their palate for the graft can typically expect the area where the tissue was removed to be tender for around 7-10 days, whereas patients using donor tissue will likely only experience discomfort for 2-4 days.

What color is healing gum tissue?

Once the clot forms, your body will start building granulation tissue to cover the wound. This tissue often appears a creamy white color and consists of collagen, white blood cells, and blood vessels.

Is it normal for healing gums to be white?

Do gums turn white when healing? Yes! Sometimes once you get treatment like teeth whitening or tooth extraction, gums may turn white. This usually is due to the trauma of the surgery and will go away within a few days.

Should my skin graft be white?

The skin graft will initially appear white and pale when it is ischemic, and then darken later as it revascularizes. In some patients, especially those with a thick graft, the graft may shed its epidermis, giving the physician and patient the impression of graft failure.

What helps gum grafts heal faster?

How long does gum graft putty stay on?

You may have a pink putty band-aid lying across the surgical site. This should be left on for at least 2 to 3 days. It allows gums to heal a bit before exposing to air, liquids and food. You may remove the putty yourself after 3 days by gently picking or peeling it loose.

When can you brush the gum graft area?

A: You may resume brushing and flossing all teeth except the surgical area 24 hours after surgery. Avoid brushing the surgical area until your stitches are removed or have dissolved depending on the type of stitches placed for your procedure.

What does a skin graft look like when it is healing?

At first, the colour of the grafted skin may appear red or purple, but it should begin to look more like your surrounding skin over time. It can take a year or two for the appearance of the skin to settle down completely.

How often does a gum graft fail?

Success or failure of graft will be determined by the periodontist or the operating surgeon. Failure happens in less than 2% of cases.

What is the most common cause of graft failure?

Acute rejection is the most common cause of graft failure based on the primary biopsy diagnosis.

How often are gum grafts successful?

Recovery. The gum grafting procedure has a 90% success rate, therefore patients can feel confident the procedure will benefit them. Recovery from this procedure normally takes 4-6 weeks, during which patients will be asked not to brush or floss near the newly repaired area.

Why do gums turn white after surgery?

It means that the white stuff is something called granulation tissue, that replaces the clot in the extraction site as the wound begins to heal. It plays an integral part in healing the area of the extraction site. The granulation tissue is comprised of the following: Blood vessels.

When can I drink soda after gum graft?

Do not drink any sodas or acidic fruit juices. No straw for the next 2-3 days! 3rd day until 2 weeks after surgery: A very soft food diet should only be eaten (Pasta, soups, eggs, fish, cooked soft vegetables, oatmeal, rice, beans etc.) Avoid any hard, spicy, crusty, coffee or acidic foods.