Patient Information Sheets

PRE OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOR DENTAL SURGERY

1. Unless specified by your dentist, all medicines taken on a routine basis should be continued without interruption. Please swallow with a minimal amount of water. If you are diabetic please do not take medication which will lower your blood sugar level while you are fasting.

2. A responsible adult, over 18 years of age, should accompany you to the office and must remain in the office during the procedure. Following sedation, this responsible adult should be physically capable of drivine, assisting, and accompanying you home and should remain with you for the next 24 hours.

3. Patients who are minors (under 18 years of age) must have a legal guardian present to both fill out consents and medical history forms

4. It is important to avoid smoking for at least one week before the surgery and one week following the surgery.

IV SEDATION INSTRUCTIONS

1. If your surgery is in the morning, do not eat or drink anything between bedtime and your scheduled appointment. If your surgery is in the afternoon you may eat a light meal up to 6 hours before your appointment and may also drink gatoraide up to two hours before your appointment to curb your appetite and maintain hydration.

2. You should wear loose-fitting tops on which the sleeves can be rolled up to the shoulder. Also, please be sure to wear shoes that are securely fastened; no flip-flops or loose-fitting sandals, please.

3. Keep in mind that it is best to allow for some flexibility around your appointment time on the day of your surgery. It is best not to “squeeze in” an appointment for surgery on an already busy day.

4. Following the sedation, you should refrain from driving an automobile or engaging in any activity that requires alertness for the next 24 hours.

POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOR DENTAL SURGERY

1. After surgery, the patient will have gauze applying pressure to their extraction sites. Extra gauze will be provided for the patient to take home. Most patients will only need to keep the new gauze in place for 1.5 hours. It is recommended that the patient keeps firm pressure on the gauze and DOES NOT TALK so that the gauze stays in place.

2. After gauze has been in place for 1.5 hrs, patient should eat something cold and creamy and begin PAIN MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL described below.

3. Patient may begin applying ice packs to the cheek areas near the surgery site once the numbness starts to fade. Patient may use the ice packs 20min on, 20min off for the next 48 hours but only while awake.

4. Consume only cold and creamy foods like smoothies, liquid nutritional drinks, pudding, and protein shakes until the numbness subsides. These cold foods aid in preserving the blood clots after teeth are removed. Once the numbness is gone (4-18 hours after surgery), the patient can have warm dishes like creamy soup or finely mashed potatoes

5. EAT A LIQUID DIET FOR THE NEXT 4 DAYS (96 hrs). Why is this so important? Patients must avoid food with small pieces which can get stuck in fresh blood clots where the teeth were removed. This is called food impaction and will cause infection.

6. AFTER 48 hours switch from ice to moist heat. From the third to fifth day after surgery, patient may apply heat to any swollen areas until the swelling reduces.

7. No straws, spitting, and NO SMOKING for 7 days after surgery

8. Rest for the first 24-48 hours after surgery. Patients who have sedation should refrain from driving an automobile or from engaging in any task that requires alertness for the first 24 hours after surgery.

9. Swelling, pain, and discomfort will peak on days 2, 3, and 4 and will plateau on day 5. Day 1 is the day of surgery. After day 5, the extraction site(s) should slowly decrease in discomfort every 2 days. For example, day 7 should feel a little better than day 5, and day 9 should feel a little better than day 7, etc. Holes will slowly close over weeks or months.

10. Start brushing teeth the day after surgery but avoid brushing the gum tissue of the two teeth directly in front of and/or behind an extraction site for the next 7 days. After this 7-day period, the patient can resume normal brushing.

11. INTENSE physical activity should be avoided for 96 hours following surgery

12. Stitches. If patient received stitches, they will fall out on their own as soon as 24 hours after surgery. It may take up to 14 days for the stitches to fall out

PAIN MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL

Post-operative pain typically peaks at 72 hours and can continue at moderate level for 7-14 days.

This pain medication protocol is not intended to be optional. It should be followed to manage AS WELL AS prevent pain.

Variance from the protocol will lead to discomfort that will be difficult to manage after the fact.

PAIN MEDICATION

600 mg ibuprofen every 6 hours for at least 72 hours

TOGETHER WITH

1000 mg acetaminophen every 6 hours for at least 72 hours.

ADD IF NEEDED

Prescribed Opioid Narcotic every 6 hours

Ice Therapy

Mandatory 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off while you are awake for first 48 hours

Post-procedure rinse:

GENTLE rinse with prescription mouthwash starting 2 DAYS after surgery

BEGIN USING THE PROVIDED SYRINGE TO RINSE LOWER SOCKETS 4 DAYS AFTER SURGERY NOT BEFORE