Pre-Operative Instructions and Information

  1. One Month Prior to Surgery – Obtain necessary consults from your physician if necessary. Certain medications such as blood thinners may need to be discontinued prior to surgery.
  2. Check with our office for insurance provisions and to work out financial arrangements if needed.
  3. Now is a good time to stop smoking. Your postoperative healing will be easier and you will experience less discomfort if you are not smoking.
  4. Two Weeks Prior to Surgery – Stop taking over the counter medications which could cause bleeding: Vitamin E, St. John’s Wort, Aspirin, Excedrin, Vanquish, B.C. & Goody’s powders. Please, be aware that many cold medicines may contain aspirin.
  5. One Week Prior to Surgery – Please call our office to finalize financial arrangements and to obtain your prescription. If you would like them to be called in, please have the number of your pharmacy handy to avoid having them called into the wrong location.
  6. This is the last day you can cancel your surgery appointment without incurring a possible cancellation charge.
  7. Day Before Surgery
  8. Some medications will be started today or tonight. Please call our office if you have any questions regarding these or any other concerns you may have. If you would like to speak to the doctor the night before the surgery and it is after hours, please inform the answering service and the doctors will call you back. Please do not hesitate to call. We are happy to help you in any way we can!
  9. The Big Surgery – Unless you are otherwise instructed, eat a regular breakfast (or lunch) and take your regular prescription medicine. If you were given a prescription for antibiotics, or any other medication, it is important that you take it as directed. If you must take antibiotics pre-medication before dental treatment, be sure you take your usual dosage one hour before surgery. If you have any questions, please call the office or answering service and you will be called. You may continue regular activities today up until your appointment.
  10. Wear comfortable clothes. Layers are good in case you get cold or warm.
  11. If you will be sedated, be sure to have your accompanying person give us his or her phone number if they plan to leave during the surgery.
  12. After surgery, we ask you to really take it easy. The less you move around or talk today after the surgery, the better you will feel all week. For 24 hours after your surgery, you should not engage in any strenuous physical activity. If your work does not involve physical activity, you can return to work the day of surgery, but it is best if you wait until the day after your surgery.
  13. You will need to keep ice on the surgical area and you may not feel like eating regular foods today. It is a good idea to have, soft, cold foods on hand (pasta, soup, shakes, smoothies, ice cream). You will also need plenty of non-caffeinated, non-carbonated fluids. Water is fine. The day following surgery, you can return to warm foods but maintain a soft or liquid died if mouth is not comfortable.
  14. Most patients do well, so don’t worry. Please, call us at any hours if you are concerned about any aspect of your surgery appointment. The doctors are at your disposal twenty four hours a day and we all just want your experience to be as pleasant as possible!