Before Anesthesia

There are a few steps that patients need to take prior to anesthesia. First, you should not eat or drink anything at least 8 hours prior to surgery and refrain from smoking 12 hours prior to surgery. You will need someone to accompany you to the surgery and drive you home after. On the day of surgery, do not wear any jewelry, contact lenses or dentures. If you regularly take medications, discuss those with the doctor to ensure that they are approved prior to surgery. Other than these simple considerations, there is nothing else you need to do to prepare for surgery.

After Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Wisdom tooth extraction is a surgical procedure that requires some post-operative care to reduce the chance of infection or other complications. Immediately after surgery, a gauze pad will be placed over the extraction site, which should not be removed for at least 45 minutes, and then discarded after that. Refrain from drinking from a straw or rinsing the mouth to ensure that you do not dislodge the blood clot that has formed. Limit your activities that day. You can resume your regular activities the following day.  Take the pain medication as prescribed to reduce the amount of discomfort you feel after the local anesthetic wears off. As with any oral surgery, refrain from drinking through a straw, as doing so creates suction and may disrupt the sutures.

After Dental Implant Surgery

After dental implant surgery, it is recommended that you take it easy for 48-72 hours. Resting assists the healing process and limits after-surgery bleeding. Drink plenty of fluids, but nothing too cold. You may need to apply an ice pack to your face in twenty-minute intervals for the 2 days following surgery. If you received upper implants, do not blow your nose for two weeks. It is common to experience slight bleeding for about two days after surgery. You will feel slightly uncomfortable the first two days following surgery, but the third day is generally better. An increase in temperature of about 1 to 2 degrees is to be expected and is not a cause for concern. Finally, while you can eat when you are hungry, do not chew directly onto the bone graft.

After Impacted Tooth

A tooth becomes impacted when there is not enough room to accommodate the space in the dental arch and growth becomes impossible.  After surgery to remove an impacted tooth, mild discomfort and some swelling is expected. This is part of the process and should not alarm you. You may use cold compresses to alleviate the swelling. In addition, Dr. Anderson will prescribe pain medication, which should be taken as directed. Patients are also advised to favor the extraction area and modify their diet for a few days to allow for healing.

After Single Extraction

Bleeding - After an extraction, a wet gauze pack is placed over the extraction site to prevent excessive bleeding and to promote the healing blood clot. Keep pressure on it for 30-45 minutes and replace it bleeding continues. Slight bleeding may occur up to 2 days. Avoid activities that could apply a suction action to the blood clot such as smoking or sucking through a straw.

Rinsing - Do not rinse your mouth today. Tomorrow you can rinse your mouth gently with glass of warm water mixed with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. You can do this every 3-4 hours a day, especially after meals.

Swelling - Following an extraction some swelling and skin bruising may occur. A cold moist cloth or an ice bag applied to the cheek will keep it to a minimum. Place on affected area for about 15-20 minutes of every hour for the next 6 hours.

Medication - If non-aspirin pain medication doesn't relieve the discomfort you may experience, a stronger medication can be prescribed. Be sure to use all medication as directed.

Food - A light diet with plenty of fluids is recommended the first day. Chewing should be done away from the extraction site.

Oral Hygiene - Continue brushing and flossing, being extra gentle near the extraction site.

Bone Chips - During healing you may notice small bony fragments working their way through the gums. We can easily remove them if they are too annoying.

Call our office if any unusual symptoms occur.

Multiple Tooth Extractions

The removal of one or two teeth is a simple procedure. Extracting multiple teeth requires that the jawbone be shaped and removed to prepare for a denture. You may experience the following after a multiple tooth extraction procedure. Within two days, you will experience the maximum swelling both inside the mouth and possibly around the eye as well. The area around your eye may also become discolored, which may be alleviated by a warm compress. The muscles near the extraction site may become sore after surgery, causing a sore throat. This is normal, as well as the corners of your mouth becoming dry and cracked from being stretched open during surgery. In most cases, you will have a follow-up appointment with Dr. Anderson within 48 hours after surgery to discuss any post-surgery symptoms that you are experiencing.