Preparing For Your Child’s Oral Surgery
Whether your child is having oral surgery due to a planned tooth extraction or an emergency situation, we recognize that you must have many questions – and perhaps some concerns as well. Our job as your child’s care provider is to ensure that surgery achieves desired results and both you and your child are comfortable throughout the process. This includes answering any questions you may have with patience and understanding.
While we will be more than happy to assist in the office or by phone call, we find it valuable for you to have a quick guide to help in preparation and familiarize yourself with what to expect prior to surgery.
Please read below to find pre-operative instructions and an outline of planning the surgical process from start to finish.
Once you have been referred to our oral surgeon, the following steps must be completed:
- Schedule an appointment – Contact our patient care coordinator to set a date for your child’s surgery.
- Surgery Preparation – Our oral surgeon will receive your child’s x-ray image and begin developing a treatment plan; this process may take one or two days.
- Confirmation of Plan – You can expect a call from our oral surgery coordinator once the surgeon has finalized treatment plans. This will be discussed with you in detail, along with costs and insurance coverage. We will again confirm your appointment date.
- Payment Collection – Seven days prior to the appointment date, you will be again contacted by our oral surgery coordinator. During this interaction, we will request payment and go over any questions you may have prior to surgery.
- Final Confirmation – Final confirmation will be made two days before the surgery appointment. It is imperative that you inform us at this time if your child is sick or experiencing any unusual medical symptoms.
Pre-Operative Instructions
- For no less than eight hours prior to surgery, your child may not eat or drink (including water). Under anesthesia, this could cause your child to aspirate – aspiration could be fatal!
- Your child must be accompanied by a responsible adult who is capable of driving them home following the procedure.
- For 24 hours following the surgery (or after taking prescription pain medication), the patient should not drive or operate heavy machinery.
- If your child takes any routine oral medications, these may be taken with a small sip of water.
On the day of surgery, the following guidelines should be followed in terms of dress and appearance:
- In order for sleeves to be rolled past the elbows when administering anesthetic through IV, we request that patients wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.
- Shoes with heels are not recommended, as patients will typically find themselves groggy after surgery. This can make walking difficult.
- We suggest leaving contact lenses and jewelry at home. These items can not be worn during surgery.
- Lipstick, excessive makeup, and nail polish may not be worn on the date of surgery.
It is essential that you notify our oral surgery coordinator if your child experiences any of the following changes in health condition prior to surgery:
- Common cold
- Fever
- Congestion
- Contagious disease
- Other medical changes
