Pre-operative Instructions

The following instructions may be helpful when preparing for your upcoming surgery. Please do not hesitate to call or email if you have any last minute questions. We can be reached at Eugene Office Phone Number 541-485-6888 or [email protected] during regular business hours. Email is the best way to get ahold of us. It also helps because if you forget what we say during our phone conversation you have a written record of our responses.

You should receive your pre/post-operative prescriptions one to two weeks before your appointment. For your convenience, please pick them up prior to your scheduled surgery. Follow specific instructions on the prescription label.

In order to evaluate your progress and healing, we will see you for post-operative checks during the first 1-6 weeks. In most cases, after surgery we will also look forward to seeing you back for your first post-surgical periodontal maintenance cleaning. After this first cleaning we recommend alternating cleanings every 3 months between our office and your general dentists office.

Sedation Instructions

5 days prior to your appointment:

Stop taking aspirin, blood thinners, and all supplements.

  • Aspirin, fish oil, garlic, cayenne, vitamin D, vitamin E, omega-3, krill oil, tumeric, excedrin, and multivitamins can cause excessive bleeding. If you are on coumadin/warfarin, eliquis, pradaxa, aspirin (post-stroke or CVA), plavix, xarelto, or other prescribed blood thinners please confirm with your doctor that you are ok to go off these medications. You will be able to resume them the day after your surgery. If you are taking coumadin please have your INR taken 3 days prior to surgery and have your physician send us the results.

24-48 hours prior to your appointment:

  • Start taking the prescribed antibiotic. If we are placing an implant: start the antibiotic 2 days prior to your appointment. For all other procedures, unless indicated otherwise, start the antibiotic 1 day prior to your appointment. Take antibiotic with food to avoid an upset stomach. Eat food with live cultures or take a probiotic supplement (30 billion cultures or more) 2 hours after each antibiotic pill to prevent diarrhea and stomach pain. Take all antibiotics until gone. If you don’t you will develop antibiotic resistant bacteria “super bugs” that can cause severe problems. For women taking birth control pills: antibiotics will make them not work.
  • Have all questions answered before your appointment. You won’t remember much the day of treatment. The best way to get ahold of us is via email.

The day of your appointment:

  • Please EAT a light breakfast before your appointment such as a banana or yogurt.
  • Bring headphones to listen to music. The sounds can be unpleasant to many people and having music or a podcast is very helpful. Make sure music is downloaded as we do not have wi-fi.
  • If you are diabetic: It is very important that you eat before your appointment. If you do not eat you can end up having a diabetic emergency. Please take your blood sugar the day of your appointment and let us know what it is.
  • If you are being sedated: See instructions below.
  • Do not smoke any form of tobacco/marijuana or have alcohol or use illegal substances for at least 24 hours prior to your surgery appointment. We will not be able to see you if you are intoxicated or under the influence of illegal substances.
  • Do not wear jewelry, especially earrings or facial piercings. This can interfere with treatment. If you are having an implant placed we will ask you to remove all piercings when you arrive.

Sedation Instructions

Follow these instructions very carefully or you may not be sedated

To be sedated you will take a pill. We do not do IV sedation and we do not give injections or oral medication to be sedated in the office. The pill is a prescription you need to pick up from you pharmacy. Your dosage will depend on your weight and age. Please give us an accurate weight to prevent over- or under-sedating you. Being sedated will not numb you, we must still give you an injection in the mouth to get you numb. The sedation we use is called conscious sedation. You will not be “knocked out”. You will be very relaxed and not care what we are doing. Some people fall asleep and others will feel very loopy. 

Failure to comply with the items marked in red can compromise the safety of the sedation procedure. In most cases the dentist will not be able to proceed with your treatment.

  • Please eat a very light meal such as yogurt before your appointment. If you eat nothing you can have nausea. If you eat too much you will not be sedated.
  • Do NOT consume any caffeine or use tobacco or marijuana the day of the procedure. This will result in you not being sedated at all.
  • Turn off cell phones and other electronics after arriving at the office. If you are playing on your phone then your are not going to feel sedated.
  • Do NOT take any narcotic pain medications between 6 hours before and 6 hours after taking sedation medication. The sedative reacts negatively with narcotics and you may end up in the hospital.
  • Do not take any other anti-anxiety medications with sedation medication unless approved by your physician. Do not take sleeping pills the night before your appointment.
  • Do not drink alcohol the day before or the day of your appointment. We cannot safely sedate you if you have had alcohol or any street or recreational drugs.
  • You must have a driver to and from the office. We will not be able to proceed with your appointment if you drive yourself.
  • You must have a responsible adult stay with you after your appointment. Some people will wander into traffic or fall down and will not be able to get up again. Someone needs to stay with you to monitor you and make sure you do not injure yourself.
  • Do not wear long sleeves or bulky clothes such as a sweater or jacket. We have blankets if you get cold.
  • It is very common for people to get the hiccups or even start crying.
  • Do not drive a motor vehicle or operate any hazardous devices/machinery for 24 hours after sedation.
  • Do not go up and down stairs unattended. Whenever possible stay on the first floor until recovered.
  • Do not go shopping after your appointment. It is very important to be comfortable. Make sure whomever is staying with you after your appointment guides you to your bed or the couch. You will most likely fall asleep.