Presurgical Recommendations

We are happy that you have chosen to proceed with the surgical phase of your periodontal care. The procedures that you are about to undertake will help us to restore your teeth and maintain your periodontal health. We have prepared the following recommendations because we feel that a little preparation can make your post-surgical recovery period short and uneventful.

• Get a good night's sleep the evening before the surgery.
• Avoid alcohol and aspirin for at least a week before the surgery since these substances thin the blood and can lead to more bleeding.
• Discontinue all herbal supplements one week before surgery, NO EXCEPTIONS.
• Have ice on hand or bags of frozen vegetables like peas and corn to make ice packs.
• Prepare for a soft food diet if necessary following surgery. Have pasta, soup, eggs, yogurt, ice cream, mashed potatoes etc. available.
• Eat before you come as portions of your mouth will be numb afterwards and many medications can upset your stomach without food. An empty stomach makes the appointment seem much longer. We cannot offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas) if you have not eaten in the last 2-3 hours.
• If you were given a prescription prior to surgery, get it filled.
• You may want to arrange for a ride home although it is not required unless you have taken a sedative like Xanax or Valium.

While complete healing of the soft tissues takes 14-21 days, most of the discomfort and swelling, if any, will subside after 3-10 days. You should be able to return to work the next day, but activities that raise your blood pressure or increase your heart rate may result in some slight bleeding from the surgical site for 2-3 days and can increase swelling and pain.

Your post operative course depends greatly on your state of mind. While the procedure you are undergoing is "a surgery", it is really not much different from any other dental treatment that you have undergone. Keep a positive mental attitude and you will be pleasantly surprised at the ease of your post-operative healing.