Objective: to quantify patient-based outcomes 6 weeks and 6 months after periodontal surgery. Methods: A self-reporting questionnaire was used which measured dental health related quality of life following periodontal surgery. The questionnaire was administered to private practice periodontal patients who completed a log of outcomes 7 days (reported earlier) and then 6 weeks and 6 months post-operatively. The questionnaire addressed the impact of periodontal surgery on oral function, general function, pain and other symptoms using a 5 point Likert scale (none=1, worst imaginable=5). Results: Of the 101 patients from 3 private periodontal practices reporting on 7 day outcomes, 77 responded to the 6 week and 6 month surveys. The ages of the sample ranged from 16 to 62. Tooth sensitivity was the most common concern at 6 months post-op, affecting 42.6% of the sample. This did not differ significantly over time, as 39.2% and 42.4% reported some degree of sensitivity at 7 days and 6 weeks respectively (Kendall's tau; p=0.86). There was a difference in tooth sensitivity dependant upon the type of surgery performed (soft tissue grafts=25%, flap debridement with osseous surgery=80%, p=0.04). At 6 months, 17.9% reported that surgery affected what they were able to eat, and 17.9% the amount of pain they still experienced. 23.4% of the subjects felt they had bad breath or a bad taste in their mouth at 6 months. There was a significant improvement in the subjects' ability to clean their teeth over time (50% at 7 days, 60.3% at 6 weeks and 77.6% at 6 months; p<0.001) Conclusions: The results of this study confirm that some patients experience long term morbidity as a result of periodontal surgery. These data are an important addition to the knowledge base needed for clinicians and their patients in making informed decisions about periodontal surgery.

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