If you are planning to get any type of oral surgery, you may find that you have a lot of questions surrounding the procedure, and it’s important to put your mind at ease so that you go into it knowing exactly what to expect during and afterwards. Green Tree Dental offers a number of oral surgery procedures, including tooth extractions and wisdom teeth removal, and we are always here to answer your questions about the process. Here are a few of the questions you should make sure to ask before getting oral surgery:
Why Do I Need Surgery?
It may seem obvious, but it’s very useful to hear a clear explanation about why this procedure is deemed necessary. For example, in the case of wisdom teeth, even if you aren’t in acute pain, dentists often recommend having them removed due to the high incidence of future problems. The more you understand the effects of not getting oral surgery, the more confident you can be going through with the treatment.
What Does the Procedure Involve?
It can be reassuring to hear a step-by-step walk-through of exactly what will happen during the process to put your mind at ease. Knowing all of the steps involved in the procedure will lessen your anxiety about it since there will be no surprises.
Do I Need to Fast Beforehand?
If you are undergoing an involved surgery that requires heavy sedation, it’s possible that you may need to avoid eating for about 8-12 hours before the surgery. If that is the case, it’s often easiest to schedule your surgery for early in the morning and simply skip breakfast rather than having to go all day long without eating anything. Don’t forget to ask so you can be prepared and adjust your schedule!
Will I Need Sedation?
Depending on how involved the procedure is, you may not need to be heavily sedated. For instance, wisdom tooth extractions can be completed with a local anesthetic and only mild sedation, but it’s still important to know that you will be groggy for a few hours afterwards and should arrange to have someone else drive you home from your appointment. You’ll want to know what type of sedation will be involved, if any, so you can make any necessary arrangements.
How Long Is the Recovery Time?
For most procedures, you can expect to experience some swelling that will go down within 12-48 hours. You may leave the office with some gauze in your mouth to help stop any bleeding, and it’s possible that you will experience some mild pain as your sedative wears off. You’ll want to know what average recovery times are so if your healing is taking longer than normal, you can schedule a follow-up appointment to make sure everything is okay.
What Foods Can You Eat Afterwards?
You don’t want to be caught unawares with an empty fridge and a hungry stomach after you’ve had surgery. Be sure to ask which foods are acceptable to eat and if you need to wait a while before consuming anything after your surgery. Typically, soft foods and liquids, such as soups and smoothies, are recommended for the first few days, and it’s a good idea to avoid any hard or crunchy foods for a while to prevent any damage to your healing mouth.
At Green Tree Dental, we care about all of our patients and want them to feel relaxed and confident about the care they will receive, whether it is for oral surgery or for a routine exam and cleaning. Contact us to schedule your next appointment!
