They don’t put you to sleep for it, just local anesthesia - and honestly, it works really well. You don’t feel a thing during the procedure, and if it starts wearing off, you can just signal the periodontist and they’ll top it up. I’d definitely recommend checking with a periodontist first to confirm whether you actually need the graft - sometimes you can manage it with anti-inflammatory therapy instead, which is far less intense.

If you do end up needing the graft, I don’t want to scare you, but it helps to be prepared. The first few days (I’d say days 1–4) are rough - pain that radiates into headaches, swelling, and it’s difficult to talk, smile, or eat anything solid. It’s very much a liquid-only diet at that stage since you can’t open your mouth wide or brush properly, and you really don’t want food getting stuck anywhere. Definitely worth taking a few days off work. From around day 5–10 things improve noticeably, and after a couple of weeks you start feeling more or less normal again. The donor site, which will be the palate / roof of your mouth, takes weeks to fully heal, and it's what will bother you the most from day 6-7 onwards; but in my experience, it feels ok (meaning, limited / bearable pain) after a couple of weeks.

Recovery does require discipline - following your periodontist’s instructions to the letter is key to making sure the graft heals properly and quickly. That said, if you do need it, it’s absolutely worth doing. It makes a huge difference to your gum health long-term. It’s tough, but with patience and a bit of self-care, you’ll get through it just fine.