Instructions
Before general anesthesia or IV sedation
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to download detailed instructions.
- If you have been scheduled to have general anesthesia for your surgery
it is essential that you do not eat or drink anything for 8 hours before
surgery. Any liquid or solid food in your stomach during anesthesia can have
life-threatening consequences. If you have
accidentally eaten anything prior to surgery, inform the doctor immediately.
- You must bring a responsible adult who can drive you home. You
will be groggy for several hours after your surgery and unable to
drive. If you have been given a prescription to take prior to surgery, make
arrangements to be driven to the office. Do not drive yourself. Sedative
medications can act quickly and seriously affect your driving ability.
- Wear loose fitting and comfortable clothing. We recommend a shortsleeved
shirt for ease in taking your blood pressure and applying monitors. A T-shirt,
sweat pants and gym shoes are always a good choice.
- Take care of financial arrangements,
ask questions and use the bathroom before surgery. You will be too sleepy
to remember these things afterward.Call if you have any questions concerning
these instructions or your scheduled appointment.
- While the thought of any surgery
can be a little frightening, our patients usually find it to be a comfortable,
pleasant and painless experience. Please let us know if there is anything
that we can do to accommodate you.
Following dental extractions
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here to download detailed instructions.
- If intermittent bleeding occurs,
bite firmly (without talking or moving around) on a dampened gauze for 30-60
minutes, then gently remove.Don’t sleep with the gauze in your mouth.
- Brush your remaining teeth normally.
- Cold pack on face adjacent to extraction site intermittently
for first day.
- Do not vigorously rinse or spit - be very gentle for at least
one week.
- Do not drive, operate machinery, or take responsibility for
at least 24 hours after any sedation.
- After sedation, have a responsible person stay with you.
- Do NOT blow your nose for 5-7 days after surgery.
- No aerobic activity for 5 days after surgery.
- If taking a prescribed narcotic, do not drive, operate machinery,
etc., and always take only as prescribed, and ONLY after eating.
- Keep head elevated for 24 hours after surgery (at least 2
pillows).
- No smoking for at least 5 days.
- Apply a warm towel on I.V. site 3 or 4 times the first day.
- Call immediately if you have any problems or questions!
Following Implant/Sinus Lift/Bone Grafting
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here to download detailed instructions.
- Pain. Some discomfort is normal after your operation. 400-600 mg every
4 to 6 hours of ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin or generic) is usually an excellent
choice - IF you are not allergic or intolerant to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs. If you are asthmatic, do not take ibuprofen unless you have tolerated
it in the past. If we have prescribed narcotic medicine for you, alternately
taking the ibuprofen and narcotic when needed will improve your pain control.
Some liquid/food in your stomach before taking pain medicine is usually a
good idea in preventing nausea. Remember, pain medicines that contain a narcotic
which can impair judgment and reflexes. Avoid driving or doing anything potentially
dangerous while taking these medications.
- Gauze pads. Gauze pads should be placed over the surgery site(s) with gentle
pressure applied to the pads when you bite down; proper placement helps you
avoid swallowing blood, which can make you more nauseated. The gauze pads
should be replaced every 20 to 40 minutes. When the gauze pads have little
or no blood on them, they are no longer necessary. The amount of bleeding
will vary from person to person. Any heavy bleeding should slow within 3
to 4 hours. A small amount of blood is common up to 24 hours after your surgery
and occasionally during sleep the first night. AVOID touching the area with
fingers or your tongue.
- Rinsing. Do not rinse your mouth the first day. Starting the second day,
gently rinse for 30 seconds every morning after breakfast and brushing, and
at bedtime with diluted Listerine for 2 weeks. During the daytime, rinse
with warm salt water every 3 hours, with approximately 1 teaspoon dissolved
in a glass of water (a pre-made bottle each morning will lessen the amount
of work.!) Do not use full-strength mouthwashes of any kind during the first
week (mouthwashes contain alcohol which will retard healing).
- Swelling. Swelling is a normal occurrence after oral surgery and is a major
cause of discomfort. Swelling normally reaches its peak by the 3rd day and
then starts to resolve; it can be reduced by the use of an ice pack (or bag
of frozen peas) over the affected area. Apply the ice pack for 10 minutes-
avoiding heavy pressure, then remove or transfer it to a different area for
10 minutes. Do not freeze the skin. Ice packs are useful for the first 24
hours only. Also, keep your head elevated on 2 pillows for 4 days. These
measures won't eliminate swelling, but help immensely to reduce its severity.
- Diet. Do not eat for 2 hours after surgery (to allow blood clotting to
begin undisturbed) then start with clear liquids, such as apple juice, tea
or broth. Gradually ramp up your diet as tolerated. Always cool down any
hot foods or liquids during the first 24 hours. If you were sedated for surgery,
avoiding fatty, creamy or oily foods helps minimize, nausea. You should eat
only soft food for the first week: for example, soups, juices, mashed potatoes
and meatloaf are fine. Avoid any hard & chewy foods such as European
breads, pizza crust, steak or jerky, and nuts or popcorn for 2 weeks. Avoid
using straws for a couple of days.
- Oral Hygiene. Begin brushing your teeth on the day following surgery but
gently so near the affected area. It is important to brush all your teeth,
even if the teeth and gums are sensitive. It is important to proper healing
that plaque and food are not allowed to accumulate near the extraction site.
Smoking is strongly discouraged for at least a week. As with the use of straws,
suction causes increased bleeding AND the nicotine and tar can cause delayed
healing and loss of blood clot.
- Activity. You should avoid any physical activity during the first 48 hours
following surgery. Physical activity will increase your blood pressure which
will cause an increase in your swelling and increase your bleeding. You should
avoid strenuous physical activity, such as jogging or tennis for 5 to 7 days.
- Emergencies. If there are any serious problems or questions which need
a doctor's immediate attention, one of our group's doctors is available 24
hours through the answering service at (707) 545-4625.
Following Sinus Augmentation
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here to download detailed instructions.
Your doctor has given you these
instructions because of the treatment performed to increase the height of
bone available for your implant(s). It is imperative that you follow the
instructions listed below carefully, to maximize your healing and improve
the long-term outcome of your dental implant(s).
- Do NOT blow your nose for at least 7 days, as the pressure will delay or
damage your sinus healing.
- If you have to sneeze, do NOT hold it back - sneeze out. Open your mouth
and try to minimize the pressure in your nasal/sinus passages.
- You may use nasal decongestants, such as over-the-counter Sudafed tablets
or Afrin nasal spray, to keep your passages dry, especially if you have noticed
continued drainage or feel the need to blow your nose.
- Take the antibiotics prescribed by your doctor until they are finished,
even if you feel fine. They protect the surgical site from infection. Also,
1 or 2 servings of yogurt or an acidophilus pro-biotic tablet are recommended
daily to reduce gastrointestinal complications (like diarrhea).
- Do not drink through a straw. This creates suction, which may damage a
healing clot. You may drink out of a cup, bowl or use a spoon.
- Do not smoke because smoking reduces the blood flow, contaminates the healing
wound, and frequently leads to infections.
