Before IV Sedation & General Anesthesia

• You may not have anything to eat or drink (including water) for six (6) hours
  prior to the appointment.
• No smoking at least 12 hours before surgery. Ideally, cut down or stop smoking
  as soon as possible prior to the day of surgery.
• A responsible adult must accompany the patient to the office, remain
  in the oral surgery office during the procedure, and drive the patient home.
• The patient should not drive a vehicle or operate any machinery for 24 hours following
  the anesthesia experience.
• Please wear loose fitting clothing with sleeves which can be rolled up past the elbow,
  and low-heeled shoes.
• Contact lenses, jewelry, and dentures must be removed at the time of surgery.
• Do not wear lipstick, excessive makeup, or nail polish on the day of surgery.
• If you have an illness such as a cold, sore throat, stomach or bowel upset, please
  notify our office.
• If you take routine oral medications, please check with Dr. DeFelice prior to your surgical
  date for instructions.
  
  

 

After IV Sedation & General Anesthesia

---

The medications given to you during your procedure can often make patients feel
drowsy and/or lightheaded. Please follow these instructions for a safe recovery:

Activity
Keep activity levels to a minimum; rest most of the day.
Have a responsible adult present to assist you for 24 hours.
Do not drive or operate machinery.
Have assistance climbing stairs.
Resume normal activities as instructed by your doctor.

Discomfort
The amount of pain felt is different for each person.
Take your pain medication as directed, and take it with food.
Contact your doctor if severe pain is present.

Diet
Eat lightly for your first meal.
If tolerated, you may resume your regular diet.

Nausea
If you are nauseated, limit your diet to clear liquids (tea, broth, Sprite. etc.).
Drink plenty of fluids.

Fever
Contact Dr. DeFelice if your temperature is over 100 degrees by mouth or your
fever lasts longer than 24 hours.

Notify Dr. DeFelice at (480) 563-3960 with any of the following:

Temperature above 100 degrees by mouth or lasting longer than 24 hours.
Pain not relieved by the prescribed medication.
Unable to keep any fluids down.

 

After Bone Graft/Sinus Lift

---

• Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of
  surgery. Do NOT smoke for at least 48 hours, since it is detrimental to the healing process.
• Bleeding varies with the procedure but should not be heavy or prolonged. Call if you have
  bleeding concerns. Often there is some swelling associated with oral surgery. You can
  minimize this by using a cold pack or ice bag wrapped in a towel and applied firmly to a
  face or cheek adjacent to the surgical area. This should be applied twenty minutes on
  and twenty minutes off during the first 12 to 24 hours after surgery. If you have been
  prescribed medicine for the control of swelling, be sure to take it as directed. 
• Unfortunately, most oral surgery is accompanied by some degree of discomfort. You will
  usually have a prescription for pain medication, and if you take the first pill before the
  anesthetic has worn off, you will be able to manage any discomfort better.
• Nausea is not an uncommon event after surgery, and it is sometimes caused by stronger
  pain medicines. Nausea may be reduced by preceding each pill with a small amount of
  soft food, then taking the pill with large volume of water. Try to keep taking clear fluids
  and minimize the pain medication, but call us if you do not feel better or if repeated
  vomiting is a problem.
• Eat any nourishing food that can be taken with comfort. Temperature of the food doesn’t
  matter, but avoid extremely hot foods. It is sometimes advisable, but not required, to
  confine the first day’s intake to bland liquids and/or soft foods (creamed soups, puddings,
  yogurt, milk, shakes, etc.).
• The duration of local anesthesia varies from 2 – 8 hours. Be careful not to bite your lips,
  cheek or tongue. Move your jaw cautiously until feeling has returned.
• Do not pull or pick on the sutures.
• Be sure to take the prescribed antibiotics as directed to help prevent infection.
• Good oral hygiene is essential to good healing. Rinse after you eat or drink anything –
  keep area clean – warm salt water or tap water will do. Be gentle initially when brushing
  the surgical areas.
• Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following surgery. If you are considering
  exercise, throbbing or bleeding may occur. If this occurs, you should discontinue exercising.
  

Surgery in the sinus area or in close proximity to the sinus, require a few additional instructions
to maximize healing and minimize potential postoperative complications. By following the
instructions below, you should have a more comfortable recovery.

• Do not blow your nose until instructed to by the doctor.
• If you have to sneeze, do it with an open mouth to equalize pressure between the
  mouth and sinus.
• If you feel congested, take a decongestant as directed.
• Do not be alarmed if you have a slight nosebleed. This may or may not happen. If it
  does occur, stop your activity, sit in a chair with your head reclined and apply an
  ice pack. If it is uncontrolled or does not stop bleeding, call the doctor.
• As always, if you have any questions do not hesitate to call the office.

 

After Dental Implant Surgery

---

• Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day
  of surgery. There will be a metal healing abutment protruding through the gingival (gum)
  tissue. Do NOT smoke for at least 48 hours, since it is detrimental to the healing process.
• Bleeding
  Some bleeding or redness in the saliva is normal for 24 hours. Excessive bleeding (your
  mouth fills up rapidly with blood) can be controlled by biting on a gauze pad placed
  directly on the bleeding wound for 30-60 minutes. 
• If bleeding continues, please call our office for further instructions.
• Swelling
  Swelling is a normal occurrence after surgery. To minimize swelling, apply an ice bag,
  or a plastic bag, or towel filled with ice on the cheek in the area of surgery. This should
  be applied twenty minutes on and twenty minutes off during the first 12 to 24 hours
  after surgery. If you have been prescribed medicine for the control of swelling, be
  sure to take it as directed.
• Pain
  Unfortunately most oral surgery is accompanied by some degree of discomfort. You will
  usually have a prescription for pain medication, and if you take the first pill before the
  anesthetic has worn off, you will be able to manage any discomfort better. Effects of
  pain medicines vary widely among individuals. If you do not achieve adequate relief,
  you may supplement each pill with an analgesic such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin). 
  Some people may even require two of the pain pills at one time during early stages
  (but that may add
  to the risk of upset stomach). Remember that the most severe discomfort is usually
  withinthe first six hours after the anesthetic wears off; after that your need for
  medicine should lessen.
• Nausea
  Nausea is not an uncommon event after surgery, and it is sometimes caused by stronger
  pain medicines. Nausea may be reduced by preceding each pill with a small amount of
  soft food, then taking the pill with large volume of water. Try to keep taking clear fluids
  and minimize the pain medication, but call us if you do not feel better or if repeated
  vomiting is a problem. Cola drinks that have less carbonation may help with nausea.
  
• Diet
  Eat any nourishing food that can be taken with comfort. Temperature of the food doesn’t
  matter, but avoid extremely hot foods. It is sometimes advisable, but not required, to
  confine the first day’s intake to bland liquids and/or soft foods (creamed soups, puddings,
  yogurt, milk, shakes, etc.). Over the nest several days you can progress to solid foods
  at your own pace. It is important not to skip meals! If you take nourishment regularly,
  you will feel better, gain strength, have less discomfort and heal faster. If you are
  diabetic, maintain your normal eating habits as much as possible and follow instructions
  from us or your physician regarding your insulin schedule.
• Antibiotics
  Be sure to take the prescribed antibiotics as directed to help prevent infection.
• Oral Hygiene
  Keeping your mouth clean after surgery is essential. Use one-quarter teaspoon of salt
  dissolved in an 8 ounce glass of warm water and gently rinse with portions of the solution,
  taking five minutes to use the entire glassful. Repeat as often as you like, but at least two
  or three times daily for the next five days. Brushing your teeth with the healing abutments
  is not a problem. Be gentle initially when brushing the surgical areas.
• Activity
  Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following surgery. If you are considering
  exercise, throbbing or bleeding may occur. If this occurs, you should discontinue exercising. 
  Keep in mind that you are probably not taking normal nourishment. This may weaken you
  and further limit your ability to exercise.
• Wearing Your Prosthesis
  Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should not be used immediately after surgery
  and for at least ten days. This was discussed in the preoperative consultation.

After Facial Rejuvenation

---

• Facial Rejuvenation aftercare is simple and does not generally interfere with the daily
  routines of patients. Immediately after treatment, there may be slight redness, swelling,
  tenderness and an itching sensation in the treated area. This is a normal result of the
  injection. The inconvenience is temporary and generally disappears in a day or two. 
  
• Apply an ice pack to the treated area, this will reduce the initial swelling. If you are having
  lip treatment the initial swelling may last longer. It can last for about a week and the lips
  may look somewhat uneven during this time, therefore, the result directly after the treatment
  should not be seen as the final result.
• Avoid touching the treated area within 6 hours following treatment. After that, light makeup
  can be applied and the area can be gently washed with soap and water.
  Until the initial swelling and redness have resolved, do not expose the treated area to
  intense heat or extreme cold.
• If you have previously suffered from facial cold sores, there is a risk that the injections
  could contribute to another eruption of cold sores.
• If you are using aspirin or any similar medication, be aware that these may increase the
  risk of bruising or bleeding at the injection site, especially injection in the lips. Any bruising
  will disappear on its own, and in the meantime can be covered with makeup.
• Since the dermal filler is absorbed, the correction effect reduces over time. For many
  patients re-treatments are usually necessary 6-8 months following initial treatment.