All stitches used are dissolving, and some may come out within the first few days.

With stitches that are meant to last longer, tissue swelling can cause them to pull out ‘early’. This is not a cause for concern, as a number of additional stitches will be present to continue to hold the tissues in place.

Do not try to remove any stitches on your own.

Graft tissue is white in colour for the first 10-14 days. After 14 days, it begins to ‘take’ and will ultimately turn pink. This is especially true for ‘free gingival grafts’.

Any exposed graft tissue will be white in colour, and some may slough as the site heals. Any exposed graft is a very small portion of the actual gum graft. This is especially true for connective tissue grafts.

Pink/red/purple/brown, and even a darker black colour can be normal. Tissue glue in the area, healing blood vessels, and bruising will cause these colours to form. If a mouth rinse was prescribed, this will cause temporary staining as well.

The bandaid on the roof of the mouth is a temporary measure. It will sometimes last a day or two, though may last longer.

The site will heal completely even without the covering, though it will be more tender. Avoid hot/spicy foods in the area as it will be more sensitive as it heals.

Expect mild-moderate bleeding from the area when the packing falls off, and a damp gauze can be placed on the area for 30 minutes.

It is not uncommon to notice some graft particles in the mouth during the healing phase.

Bone graft sites are ‘over-engineered’, with additional graft material added. A gentle rinse can be done to keep the area clean, but do not worry - there are hundreds of small graft particles still healing well in the area.

The area of healing will be protected by the body with something called ‘fibrin’.

This is present and may be more apparent in the initial healing phases. It is different than pus or draining infection.

All stitches used are dissolving, and some may come out within the first few days.

With stitches that are meant to last longer, tissue swelling can cause them to pull out ‘early’. This is not a cause for concern, as a number of additional stitches will be present to continue to hold the tissues in place.

Do not try to remove any stitches on your own.

All stitches used are dissolving, and some may come out within the first few days.

With stitches that are meant to last longer, tissue swelling can cause them to pull out ‘early’. This is not a cause for concern, as a number of additional stitches will be present to continue to hold the tissues in place.

Do not try to remove any stitches on your own.

Do not ‘double up’ your next dose. Depending on when you are due for the next dose, you can wait and take it at that time.

Contact your pharmacist if you have any questions regarding specific medication dosing or interactions with your existing medication.

It is important to avoid looking at the surgical site. Tension on the surgical area by pulling the lip or any other mechanical trauma can slow down the healing timeline.

Early healing will always look strange, irregular, and will be different for all people.

This early appearance is no indication of what the final healing will look like.

Bleeding from the surgical site is normal, and can continue for several days.

Oral bleeding is differfent than other areas of the body. There is movement in the area (talking, eating, tongue movement, etc), and bleeding will mix with saliva which will make it appear more excessive.

Gentle pressure with damp gauze can be applied to the area for a minimum of 30 minutes. A new gauze can be placed after 30 minutes, or a damp teabag can be used to help with bleeding control.

True bleeding emergencies are rare in people without anticoagulation conditions or medications, and nearly all can be controlled with local pressure at home.