POST-OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS:
SOFT TISSUE GRAFTS
What to Expect
Sometimes a pink dressing is placed over the graft site. It usually remains in place for 1 to 5 days. There may also be a dressing on the roof of your mouth, which you can expect to fall off on the first day. To assist initial healing and to prevent graft movement, try to rest and avoid talking and eating for the first 3 to 5 hours. A soft diet is recommended for 4 weeks. Do not lift your lip to examine the grafted site as this can cause graft movement.
Discomfort
Pain relief medication will be prescribed. Ibuprofen (600 mg) 4 times daily and Tylenol (1000 mg) 4 times daily can be alternated every 3 hours or so. Tylenol #3 may also be prescribed. This is a strong painkiller and should only be used if other drugs are not effective.
Swelling
To avoid swelling, use a cold pack (ice or frozen vegetables) wrapped in a moist towel on the side of your face — 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off for the first 12 hours following surgery. Swelling peaks at 72 hours and takes approximately 1 week to completely resolve.
Bleeding
It is not unusual to have some slight bleeding. If the site continues to bleed, try to relax and apply constant pressure with moist gauze or a moistened tea bag for 30 minutes. In order to avoid bleeding, keep your head elevated during the first evening, discontinue your exercise regimen for 1 to 2 days, and restrict yourself to a soft diet. As well, do not rinse your mouth, spit, drink through a straw, smoke, or drink alcohol for 24 hours following surgery. You may want to cover your pillow in order to avoid staining the cover the night following surgery.
Oral Hygiene
After surgery it is important to keep your teeth and mouth as clean as possible. The prescribed antibacterial mouth rinse is to be used twice daily starting the day after surgery. Additionally, warm salt-water rinses (1/2 tsp salt in warm water) can be used several times daily. The non-treated areas can be brushed normally. If a periodontal dressing is placed, it may fall off on its own. Do not be alarmed if this occurs. The dressing may be gently removed with your fingers if it becomes loose. Do not brush your teeth or rinse your mouth for the first 24 hours following surgery.
Post-operative Appointments
You will be seen two weeks after the surgery for suture removal and oral hygiene instruction. A cotton swab can be used to clean the teeth at the grafted site for 4 weeks following your initial post-operative visit. Flossing can be re-instituted after your initial post-operative visit, but the floss must not hit the gums. A second post-operative visit to assess healing will take place 2 to 3 weeks later. Complete healing of the graft can take up to one year.