I’m having a general anesthetic, what do I need to do?  For our patients undergoing a general anesthetic, you should not have anything to eat or drink for at least 8 hours prior to the surgery.  Arrange for someone to drive you to our office, stay, and drive you home.  Unless otherwise instructed by your doctor, take all your normal medications with a small sip of water.  Wear loose comfortable clothing.

What is general anesthesia?  A general anesthetic is when the doctor gives you medicine through an IV started in your arm.  The medication helps you relax and fall asleep during the procedure.  Unlike the hospital, you may wake up during the procedure.  However, you will not feel any pain and probably go back to sleep again.  The medications we use include a combination of Versed, Fentanyl, Valium, Demerol, and/or Brevital.

Is general anesthesia safe?  In healthy patients, going to sleep is very safe.  However if you have underlying medical problems, your risks may increase.  It is therefore very important to tell your doctor your entire health history.  The doctor will then be able to evaluate the safety of the anesthetic and answer any questions.

What should I do?  Take any prescribed pain medicine as directed by your doctor.  Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) can be taken up to 600 mg at a time every 8 hours.  If this still doesn’t decrease your discomfort, call your doctor.

What is a dry socket?  The clot in your extraction socket may dissolve in 3-5 days, leaving you a “dry socket”.  This is similar to losing a scab from a cut prematurely, leaving a raw tender area.

How do I know if I have a dry socket?  If your pain is feeling better and then gets worse 3-5 days after your surgery, you may have a dry socket.  The pain is usually throbbing in nature and sometimes extends up into your ear.  A dry socket is very painful and you’ll know it when you have one.

What should I do?  Call the office and arrange for an appointment as soon as possible.  The doctor will place some medicine into the socket that should reduce the pain within the hour.  In the meantime, take the pain medicine as needed.

What should I do?  Place the gauze packs over the surgical area and bite down firmly for 20-30 minutes.  This will place direct pressure over the surgical site and help promote clotting.  Change the gauze every 20-30 minutes until the bleeding stops.  If you like, you may use a teabag instead of the gauze.  This will sometimes help accelerate the clotting process.

What if it lasts longer?  Sometimes the nerve is bruised during the surgery and the numbness may last a lot longer.  Please make sure you tell your doctor this.  He can then evaluate the numbness and tell you more information.

How long does the swelling last?  Depending on the procedure, you may have swelling up to 1 week after the surgery.  The worse days are usually the first 2-4 days.

What should I do?  Ice packs applied every 30 minutes for the first 24 hours will help.  Also sleeping with your head elevated above the level of your heart (like on some pillows) will also help.  If your doctor prescribed some medication for swelling, begin taking it as directed as soon as possible.

I can’t open my mouth all the way!  Trismus (tightness) of the jaw is common after wisdom tooth surgery.  This is due to the swelling that develops after the surgery in the muscles.  Begin stretching your jaw as wide as possible and side-to-side.  Start this 3-4 days after the surgery.  It is normal for it to be very sore when you are doing these exercises.  When your opening returns to normal, most of the soreness will be gone.

When should I stop my antibiotics?  If you were prescribed antibiotics, continue taking them until they are all done.  Do not stop the medication if the swelling is gone.  You may still have some infection that needs to be treated with the medicine.  Call your doctor for persistent diarrhea.

What happens to my stitches?  If stitches are used, they will usually be the dissolving type and will fall apart in 1-2 weeks.  You’ll probably notice loose little pieces of string.  This is normal.

What if they don’t come out?  If they bother you after 1 week, tell your doctor, and he will be able to take them out for you.

When can I brush?  You may start brushing your teeth the following day.

What about rinsing?   You may rinse your mouth with salt water on the day after surgery.  Put ½ teaspoon of salt in a glass of water.  You can use any commercial mouthwash after 4 days.

What is this syringe for?  If a syringe is given to you, it is used to clean out the sockets.  Fill the syringe with warm water and place it gently into the socket.  Irrigate the socket until the water coming out is as clean as the water going in.  It is important not to use the syringe for 4 days.  Continue using the syringe at least 4 times a day until the socket closes.

When can I eat?   You may start drinking anytime you want.  Try not to chew anything until the numbness goes away.  We don’t want you to bite your own tongue.

What can I eat?  Start out with some softer foods.  You may increase the texture of the food as you feel comfortable.

What shouldn’t I do?  For the first 24 hours, no smoking, spitting, vigorous rinsing, drinking through a straw, nothing very hot, and nothing with bubbles.

What if I’m nauseous?  Nausea can happen during the initial healing period.  This can be from the anesthesia, swallowing blood, or your pain medicine.  Taking small sips of tea, flat ginger ale, or 7-up may help.  If the pain isn’t severe, you may want to take ibuprofen or Tylenol instead of your prescribed medicine.

It is our office policy to collect payment on the day services are rendered.

How can I pay?  We accept cash, check, Visa, and MasterCard.

What about insurance?  Bring all of your insurance information, especially if you have more then one insurance policy.  Most of the time, we can contact your insurance company and obtain an estimate for what they will cover.  Remember that this is only an estimate; your insurance may pay more or less.  Ultimately you are responsible for your bill.

How do I bill my insurance?  As a courtesy, we will do all the paperwork necessary to bill your insurance.

What if my insurance doesn’t pay?  We will make every effort to collect from your insurance company.  After all our efforts have been exhausted, we will bill you.  Remember you are responsible for the bill, not your insurance company.