36 Wellington St, Woodstock, ON N4S 6P3 (519) 539-4712

Preventive Care | Teeth for Life | Gum Disease | Sedation Dentistry | Snoring Prevention | Sleep Apnea | TMJ-TMD | Post-Op Instructions

post op instructions

Post-Op Instructions

SEDATION INSTRUCTIONS

POST-OP INSTRUCTIONS

NIGHT GUARD CARE INSTRUCTIONS

 

SEDATION INSTRUCTIONS

Instructions for patients who will be receiving oral sedation

Before your appointment:

  1. You must arrange to have someone drive you home at the end of your appointment.  You should not go home by public transit.
  2. Do not wear any facial makeup or nail polish.  Wear comfortable, casual and loose-fitting clothing.
  3. Contact us prior to the appointment if there has been a change in your general health (such as a severe cold, fever, etc.).
  4. Please do not have anything to eat for eight (8) hours prior to this appointment.
  5. Please do not have anything to drink for two (2) hours prior to this appointment.

Following your appointment:

  1. You must not drive a car or operate machinery for at least eighteen (18) hours.  You may be drowsy for the remainder of the day and should be recovering at home in the care of a responsible adult until you are fully alert.
  2. Do not drink any alcoholic beverages, tea or coffee for at least eighteen (18) hours.
  3. If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the office at 519-539-4712.

SURGERY POST-OP INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Prescription(s) for necessary medication should be filled on your way home so the patient can start taking them immediately.
  2. As soon as the patient is home, start giving them liquids.  They should sip at these steadily.  Liquids should be at room temperature, not too hot or not too cold and may include fruit juice, water, pop, soup, broth or milkshakes. 
  3. As soon as the patient is home, put ice packs on the cheeks where the surgery was performed (ice cubes in a plastic bag wrapped in a this towel) for 20 minutes at a time, every three hours ICE PACKS ARE FOR DAY OF SURGERY ONLY.
  4. Starting tomorrow morning put DAMP HEAT on the cheeks (small hand towels or face cloths held under hot tap water), for 20 minutes at a time every 3 hours DO NOT USE A HOT WATER WATER BOTTLE OR A HEATING PAD - IT MUST BE DAMP HEAT.  Continue using damp heat until any swelling is completely gone.
  5. NO RINSING AT ALL DAY OF SURGERY FOR ANY REASON. Start rinsing tomorrow morning with warm salt water 8 to 10 times a day for the next two weeks.
  6. The patient may start eating solid food when they feel that they want to - usually 1 or 2 days after surgery.  When they do start they should be on a soft diet (nothing they have to chew too much) for at least two weeks.  Start out with very soft foods like soups, scrambled eggs, pudding, etc.  and gradually work back to normal.  The patient should rinse immediately after eating any solid food.
  7. NO SMOKING FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS.

General Information

Some bleeding, swelling, pain and possibly some bruising on the cheeks is normal.  The amount varies with the patient and the difficulty of the surgery.  The person caring for the patient should use their own judgment as to whether the bleeding, pain or swelling is worse than it should be.  If in doubt at all, call Dr. Lail at the office during business hours (539-4712), or at home any other time (537-4712).

NIGHT GUARD CARE & INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Daily, brush with warm water and toothpaste.

  2. Store night guard dry, in retainer case at 15 to 30 C.

  3. Each time upon insertion; warm appliance under hot (not boiling) tap water.