What you need to know before your dental surgery:

It is important to know that you are in good hands and that your wellbeing is our most important objective.

Chronic medication:

It is crucial that you inform us of all medications including supplements that you take before treatment. Please also list medications you took in the past, in particular if any medication was given for treatment of Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is treated with either oral or intravenous medications and these medications have a long term effect on the healing properties of your bone.

Your comfort:

Treatment will be pain free, but numbing of areas is always a bit uncomfortable. If you are stressed about dental treatment, please make us aware of this so that we can decide how we could decrease your anxiety before your appointment. Anxiety could be relieved by our calming personalities, oral medication (Dormicum), Intravenous Sedation (administered by a Sedationist) or General Anesthesia (in hospital). Decisions with regard to this are made on an individual basis. Please note that if you take Dormicum, have Sedation or General Anesthetic somebody else will have to bring you to your appointment and take you home after treatment. YOU CANNOT DRIVE YOURSELF!

Eating and drinking:

If you are having your treatment done WITHOUT any sedative, then have something small to eat and drink before your appointment. IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE INTRAVENOUS SEDATION OR IF YOU ARE TAKING A SEDATIVE, YOU MUST NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING FOR 4 HOURS BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT! IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE TREATED UNDER GENERAL ANESTHESIA YOU MUST NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING FOR 6 HOURS BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT!

Prescribed medication:

Certain surgical procedures need pre-operative medication for which a prescription will be sent before the appointment. Alternatively medication will be given at the surgery before treatment. Please take your medication as prescribed.

A prescription will also be provided for medication you need to take after treatment. Please make sure that we know if you are allergic to any medication.

Patients with a higher risk of complications after oral surgery are the following:

• Smokers
• Diabetes patients
• Stressed individuals
• Patients with high cholesterol
• Patients with low levels of Vitamin D
• Patients with low levels of Vitamin B12
• Patients with Iron deficiency
• Anemic patients
• Patients who are allergic to Penicillin

If you have any of the conditions mentioned above please make sure that you notify us. Where there are specific problems these will need to be managed before treatment starts. It is interesting that the use of Vitamin D supplements will have a significant effect on the healing process for all the conditions mentioned above. It is safe to use up to 10 000 IUof Vitamin D per day.  Start with the supplement at least 7 days before the surgery.

Smokers: it is best to stop smoking 7 days before your surgery to help your body achieve a better healing potential and do not smoke for 2 weeks after surgery. All treatments have a poorer long term outcome if you continue to smoke. Rates of oral cancer also increase the longer and more you smoke. The use of Cannabis and other tobacco products, including Vaping, all increase the risk of complications after surgery. There will never be a better time to try and quit.

Diabetes, cholesterol and deficiencies needs to be corrected before and maintained after treatment.