Scheduling:

Patients having I. V. sedation or general anesthesia should keep in mind that they will need to stay home and rest, so plan a time when you can have one to two days off from school or work.

Someone to Drive You Home:

You will need a responsible adult to drive you home. Patients will not be released from our office until they have a ride. If someone drove you to the office, have them wait in the reception room. If someone is coming to pick you up after your surgery, they should be here 30 minutes after your appointment time and they must come up to our suite to get you.

Someone to Watch Over You:

Plan to have someone stay with you when you are home, or have someone that is easily contacted and lives or works close by. Also, if you have small children, it would be good for you to arrange for someone to watch over them. This is a time for you to rest, and it may be difficult to pay close attention to your children.

Preoperative Diet:

Do not have anything to eat or drink, including water, for six hours prior to surgery appointment. If you are taking medication, have a sip of water and inform the doctor of what you took and when.

Contact Lenses:

If you wear contacts, you will need to take them out before surgery. Either bring your contact lens case or wear glasses the day of surgery.

Loose Clothing:

Wear loose, comfortable clothing with sleeves that can be rolled up past the elbow.

Medications:

Postoperative discomfort is difficult to predict. We try to minimize this and prescribe the appropriate medications after surgery. You may want to make financial arrangements with your ride to pick up your prescriptions. Typically the first 48 hours are the most uncomfortable.

Postoperative Diet:

Be sure to stock up on plenty of liquids and soft foods. For the first couple of days, you should minimize your chewing. You must keep up your nutrition, as it is important for the healing process.

Additional Information:

Stock up on ice for ice packs. You will be using ice on the outside of your face for the first day of surgery. We will supply extra gauze for postoperative care.

POSTOPERATIVE SURGICAL INSTRUCTIONS

Now that you have had surgery, there are some things you should expect. The postoperative course is different for all patients — the following guidelines should help you:

1. Swelling — expect some swelling, this may increase over two to three days. If the swelling increases after the third day, then call our office. For the first day applying an ice bag on the outside of the face may help (a bag of frozen peas works well).
2. Bleeding - everyone bleeds after surgery. Keep gauze in place for at least two hours, except to take pain medication. If the area is still bleeding, then place another piece of gauze and bite down. Biting down on a black tea bag can also help to control bleeding. You may have to do this for several hours. If the mouth bleeding persists and large pools of blood form in the mouth several hours after surgery, call our office. Avoid smoking, sucking through a straw, and spitting for several hours.
3. Numbness — Your mouth will be numb after surgery from the local anesthesia injections you have been administered. This will make it difficult to feel liquids that are too hot. Therefore, do not drink hot liquids until the local anesthesia has worn off.
4. Pain medicine — take any prescribed medication(s) as needed. This medication is more effective when taken before the local anesthesia wears off. To minimize nausea, it helps to take medication with food. Do not drive or operate machinery while on narcotics.
5. Rinsing — To promote healing, gently rinse the mouth on the night of the surgery with salt water (a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water). After the first night, rinse several times a day for 3 to 4 days after surgery.
6. Antibiotics — if you’ve been prescribed an antibiotic, it is important to follow the directions given. The bottle will tell you if you should eat food with these antibiotics.
7. Eating — For the remainder of the day, restrict yourself to liquids or soft foods. The next day you can eat what you want but avoid trauma to the surgical area. Remember to rinse with salt water after you have eaten.
8. Stitches — you will be informed if they are the type that dissolve or may require removal. Sometimes they come out in less than 2 days — don’t worry!

Most patients feel a little worse the day after surgery, this is normal. Patients who have had sedation often feel tired for a day or two. If a follow-up appointment has been made, it is important to allow healing to be checked.

We thank you for your confidence in allowing us to participate in your care. Please call our office if you have any questions or problems.