For your convenience, and to speed up your visit in our office, you may read over the forms prior to your appointment. Feel free to print and sign the HIPAA and financial agreement.
Home care is very important. Please feel free to read about how we recommend you take care of your teeth and gums!
Before Sedation
IV SEDATION PREOPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
Escort: You must come to the sedation appointment accompanied by a responsible adult. This escort must be able to remain in the office waiting area for the duration of your appointment, drive you home, and remain with you while you recover. Buses and cabs or other forms of public transportation are not acceptable.
Fasting: Do not eat or drink anything including water after midnight the day before your scheduled appointment. For patients with afternoon treatment, you may have a light breakfast six (6) hours prior to treatment (i.e: toast, breakfast bars) Do not consume dairy products (i.e: eggs, milk, cheese). No solid foods or liquids after that time.
Medications: Take all of your regular medications as prescribed unless otherwise agreed upon by this office and/or by your Medical Doctor. Medications may be taken with a sip of water only.
Clothing: Please wear casual, loose-fitting, short sleeved two-piece outfits that will allow us to easily apply monitor application and place IV. Contact lenses must be removed before appointment. Please do not wear fingernail polish the day of the appointment.
Health Concerns: Please notify the clinic if you have a change in health; especially the development of a cold or fever. For your safety, you may be rescheduled for another day. Please inform this office of any change in your health prior to your appointment.
Unless there is a health concern, all changes or cancellations to your appointment required at least a 48 hour notice. If you have any questions prior to your appointment please call our front desk at (541) 654-5482.
After-Care
Sometimes the after-effects of periodontal treatment are quite minimal, so not all of the instructions may apply. Patients are given specific instructions at their appointments following different procedures. Common sense will often dictate what you should do. However, when in doubt, follow these guidelines or call our office for clarification. Our phone number is (541) 654-5482.
EXERCISE CARE: Do not disturb the surgical area the day of treatment. Do NOT rinse vigorously or probe the area with any objects. You may brush your teeth gently. PLEASE DO NOT SMOKE for at least 48 hours (and preferably for 6 weeks), since this may cause delayed or poor healing .
GAUZE: Bite down gently but firmly on the gauze packs for the first hour following surgery that have been placed over the surgical areas, making sure they remain in place. Do not change them for the first hour unless the bleeding is not controlled. The packs may be gently removed after one hour. If active bleeding persists, place enough new gauze to obtain pressure over the surgical site for another 30 minutes. The gauze may then be changed as necessary (typically every 30 to 45 minutes). It is best to moisten the gauze with tap water and loosely fluff for more comfortable positioning.
ACTIVITY LEVEL: Limit activity the day of surgery. Keep head elevated by relaxing in a chair or using extra pillows while in bed or on the couch. Light physical work is okay the following day after surgery. Do not engage in any strenuous activities for 7-10 days after surgery. Your body should spend most of its energy healing.
DIET: Eat any nourishing food that can be taken with comfort. Avoid extremely hot foods. Do not use a straw for the first few days following surgery. It is sometimes advisable, but not absolutely required, to confine the first day’s intake to liquids or pureed foods (soups, puddings, yogurt, milk shakes, etc.) It is best to avoid foods like nuts, sunflower seeds, popcorn, etc., which may get lodged in the socket areas. Over the next several days you may gradually progress to solid foods. 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 a diabetic, maintain your normal eating habits or follow instructions given by your doctor.
MOUTH RINSES: Keeping your mouth clean after surgery is essential. Use 1/4 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. Do not spit liquids out in a forceful manner.
BRUSHING: Begin your normal oral hygiene routine as soon as possible after surgery. Soreness and swelling may not permit vigorous brushing, but please make every effort to clean your teeth within the bounds of comfort.
Sharp Edges: If you feel something hard or sharp edges in the surgical areas, it is likely you are feeling the bony walls which once supported the extracted teeth. Occasionally small slivers of bone may work themselves out during the following week or so. If they cause concern or discomfort, please call the office.
BONE OR SOFT TISSUE GRAFT: If a graft was placed it is very important to avoid compromising the sutures and ultimately the graft by disturbing the area with food or a tooth brush. Please avoid brushing the graft surgery area until the two-week post operative visit. We make sure to add extra bone so do not be disturbed if you notice small grains of graft that escape the graft site. Please call our office if you feel that the amount of graft particles is significant.
BONE GRAFT: If you have a bone graft it is not uncommon to have residual pieces of bone that might work out. There are thousands of granules placed for the preservation of the ridge. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
SMOKING/CHEWING: The use of tobacco products greatly reduces the success of your recovery.
HEALING: Normal healing after tooth extraction should be as follows: The first two days after surgery are generally the most uncomfortable and there is usually some swelling. On the third day you should be more comfortable and, although still swollen, can usually begin a more substantial diet. The remainder of the post-operative course should be gradual, steady improvement. If you do not see continued improvement, please call our office. If you are given a plastic irrigating syringe, DO NOT use it for the first five days. Thereafter, use it daily according to the instructions until you are certain the tooth socket has closed completely and that there is no chance of any food particles lodging in the socket.
SIDE EFFECTS:
Oozing: Intermittent bleeding or oozing overnight is normal. Bleeding may be controlled by placing fresh gauze over the areas and biting on the gauze for 30-45 minutes at a time.
Persistent Bleeding: Bleeding should never be severe. If you experience heavy bleeding it usually means that the packs are being clenched between the teeth only and are not exerting pressure on the surgical areas; Try repositioning the packs. If bleeding persists or becomes heavy you may substitute a tea bag (soaked in very hot water, squeezed damp-dry and wrapped in moist gauze) for 20 or 30 minutes. If bleeding remains uncontrolled, please call our office.
Swelling: Swelling is often associated with extractions. In the first 24 hours swelling can be minimized by wrapping a cold pack, ice bag or bag of frozen peas in a towel and applying firmly to the cheek. This should be applied for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. If you have been prescribed medicine for the control of swelling, be sure to take it as directed. Starting the day after surgery y o u may apply warm compresses to the skin over the areas of swelling (hot water bottle, hot moist towels, or heating pad) for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. *If you can take Ibuprofen; take 600 mg every 6 hrs for 3-4 days.
Pain: Unfortunately most extractions are accompanied by some degree of discomfort. You will usually have a prescription for pain medication. If you take the first pill before the anesthetic has worn off, you should be able to manage any discomfort better. Some patients find that stronger pain medicine causes nausea, but if you precede each pain pill with a small amount of food, chances for nausea will be reduced. The effects of pain medications vary widely among individuals. If you do not achieve adequate relief at first, you may supplement each pain pill with an analgesic such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Some patients may even require two of the pain pills at one time. Remember that the most severe pain is usually within six hours after the local anesthetic wears off; after that your need for medicine should lessen.
* If you find you are taking large amounts of pain medicine at frequent intervals, please call our office. If you anticipate needing more prescription medication for the weekend, you must call for a refill during weekday business hours. Due to changes in the law, pain medications can no longer be phoned in. You must pick up a hard copy and take to the pharmacy. Business hours are Monday –Thursday 7a-5p and Friday from 7a-4p.
Nausea: Nausea is not uncommon after surgery. Sometimes pain medications are the cause. Nausea can be reduced by preceding each pain pill with a small amount of soft food, and taking the pill with a large volume of water. Try to keep taking clear fluids and minimize dosing of pain medications, but call us if you do not feel better. Classic Coca Cola may help with nausea.
It is our desire that your recovery be as smooth and pleasant as possible. Following these instructions will assist you, but if you have questions about your progress, please call our office. Calling during office hours will afford a faster response to your questions or concerns. If you are having an after-hours emergency please call Dr. Dow’s cell phone at (541) 937-5417.
Payment, Fees and Insurance
We are a fee for service business and we take great efforts to provide affordable treatment options that offer excellent quality and value. Our fee schedule is carefully constructed to be reasonable and to fit into your budget. We accept insurance and are happy to help you determine your insurance benefits or file a claim.
Accepted Methods of Payments
We gladly accept all common forms of payment including Visa, Master Card & Discover.
Alternative Methods of Payment
CareCredit is a credit card available to you exclusive for health care services. With CareCredit, you can get a No Interest* payment plan if paid in full within 6, 12, 18 or 24 months.
Accepted Dental and Medical Insurances
We accept most insurance plans. Please feel free to contact us to see if we accept your insurance and about how we can help you get the most benefit from your specific policy. At no time does our office guarantee payment by your insurance company. Any statements made concerning your insurance benefits by our office are only estimates. All insurances are subject to plan provisions at the time services are rendered. Exclusions and coverage limitations may be applied when an actual claim for benefits has been received and processed by your insurance company