Before Surgery

• Please bring any referral slip from your referring dentist or physician.

Please do not eat or drink anything for six to eight hours before your procedure.
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Please wear loose fitting comfortable clothing.


• Please remove any contact lenses and all jewelry prior to surgery.


• Please make sure that you bring a responsible adult with you who can wait in the waiting room during your procedure and then drive you home afterwards.


• Please bring a list of medications you are taking. Also, if you have asthma please bring your inhalers. If you are taking prednisone, please bring this medication with you.


• Patients who require antibiotic prophylaxis because of heart murmurs, artificial joints, the VP shunts, and artificial heart valves should take the appropriate antibiotic dosage one hour prior to surgery with a small sip of water.
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Patients who are treated with heart medications, blood pressure medications, thyroid medications, and gastric reflux / ulcer medications should take these medications as prescribed without food and with small amounts of water.
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Insulin dependent diabetic patients should take 1/2 their normal of NPH insulin and not take any regular insulin dose. We always schedule diabetic patients' appointments in the morning.

Diabetic patients who are controlled with insulin should not take this medication on the day of surgery.



ALL PATIENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN.



It is always helpful to have your medical and dental insurance information with you, as well as any required insurance forms.

After Surgery

PATIENTS RECEIVING GENERAL ANESTHESIA should return home from the office immediately upon discharge. You may feel drowsy for a short period of time or for several hours. You should not operate any mechanical equipment or drive a motor vehicle for at least 12 hours.

ORAL HYGIENE AND CARE: Do not disturb the surgical area today. BITE DOWN firmly on the gauze packs that we have initially placed over the surgical area, making sure that they remain in place. DO NOT change them for the FIRST hour unless the bleeding is controlled. DO NOT drink with a straw and DO NOT rinse or brush your teeth vigorously or probe the area with the tongue, any objects or your fingers. ***After the first 24 hours has occurred, you may brush your teeth gently, carefully avoiding the surgical site. DO NOT SMOKE for at least 72 hours, since it is detrimental to the healing process. Beginning tomorrow you will start rinsing your mouth with a warm salt-water rinse (1/2-tsp. salt with 1-cup water) 3-4 times a day for the next 2 weeks. It is imperative to keep your mouth clean, since an accumulation of food or debris may promote infection.

Steady Bleeding: Bleeding should not be severe. Biting down the first hour firmly will assist your pattern of bleeding. If bleeding persists, this may be due to the gauze pads being clenched between the teeth rather than exerting pressure on the surgery site. Try repositioning new gauze and hold for 20-30 min. Other than the initial gauze, no gauze should be left in for more than 30 minutes at a time. If bleeding persists or becomes heavy, substitute a moist caffeinated tea bag on the area for 20-30 minutes. Gauze is to be removed while eating, drinking or if bleeding has stopped. If bleeding becomes severe or continues for more than 24 hours, please call our office immediately.

Swelling or Bruising: Swelling is to be expected and usually reaches its maximum in 48 hours. To minimize swelling, cold packs, ice or frozen peas should be applied to the face adjacent to the surgical area by the jaw line. This should be applied for 20 minutes, then removed for 20 minutes during the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery. Try to rotate surgery sides. Bruising may also occur, but should disappear soon. After 48 hours you may apply moist heat with a warm wash cloth to bring down swelling. After 48 hours you may switch to apply moist heat with warm wash cloth to bring down swelling, 20 minutes on and off.
Diet: Introduction of foods and pain medications should be done gradually if IV-Sedation was administered. Follow this protocol to minimize post operative vomiting:

1. 1. Sleep for 1-2 hours when arriving home.
2. 2. Awaken and take on glass of water, wait 15 minutes. If no upset stomach occurs, then introduce cool liquid/soft food and wait 15 minutes again.
3. 3. If no upset stomach occurs, then take the pain medication as prescribed and check if more gauze is needed. After this introduction period, eat any nourishing food that can be taken with comfort. It is advisable to confine the first day’s food intake to cool bland liquids or pureed or soft foods. Avoid foods like nuts, sunflower seed or popcorn, which may get lodged in the socket areas. Over the next several days, you may progress to more solid foods. Proper nourishment aids in the healing process. If you are a diabetic, maintain your normal diet as much as possible and follow your physician’s instructions regarding your insulin schedule.

Pain and Medications: Unfortunately, most oral surgery is accompanied by some degree of discomfort. Take the pain medication prescribed as directed and according to protocol, if general anesthesia was administered. If the extraction(s) were performed without general anesthesia, take the pain medication immediately. If you do not achieve adequate pain relief, you may supplement each pill with an analgesic such as ibuprofen, advil or acetaminophen. Taking the pain medication with soft food and a large volume of water will lessen any side effects of nausea or stomach upset. *** If your were prescribed an antibiotic and are currently taking oral contraceptives, you should use an alternate method of birth control for the remainder of this cycle.***