Oral Surgery Patient Information for Bakersfield and Valencia
What to bring, how to prepare, what recovery normally looks like, and exactly who to call when something does not feel right.
One appointment,
one straight answer.
A full examination, the imaging the case actually needs, and a straight explanation of what we found. You leave knowing the diagnosis, the options and the cost.
The surgical plan is built around your anatomy, your medical history and what you want out of it. Where an implant or restoration follows, we coordinate the sequence with your dentist before we start.
Allow more time than a routine dental appointment. Examination, the imaging your case needs and the discussion of options all happen at the same visit, and we would rather you were not watching the clock through it. The office will tell you what to expect for your case when the appointment is booked.
What to bring
Your referral
If your dentist or orthodontist referred you, bring the referral slip or the name of the practice.
Recent radiographs
Any films taken in the last year, including a panoramic film or a CBCT scan if one was done.
Your medication list
Every prescription, over the counter medication and supplement you take, with the doses.
Your medical history
Conditions you are treated for, past surgery, known allergies, and the name of your physician.
Insurance information
Your card or plan details, so the office can verify your benefits before treatment is planned.
A second set of ears
You are welcome to bring someone with you. A great deal is discussed at a surgical consultation.
Five things that have to be
right on the day.
If your treatment involves intravenous sedation or general anesthesia, the preparation matters as much as the surgery. Work through this list, and call us rather than guess if anything on it is unclear.
- 01Follow the fasting instructions you are given exactly
- 02Arrange a responsible adult to drive you home and stay with you
- 03Bring a current list of all medications and supplements
- 04Tell us about every medical condition, however minor it seems
- 05Wear short sleeves and leave contact lenses at home
General guidance, and one rule above it.
You will be given written post operative instructions at your appointment. Those instructions are written for your surgery, your medical history and your medication, and they take precedence over anything on this page. Where the two differ, follow the written instructions. If you are unsure which applies, call the office and ask.
Bleeding
Some oozing on the first day is expected. Bite firmly and continuously on the gauze you are sent home with, keep your head raised, and change the gauze only when you are told to. Do not spit, rinse forcefully or drink through a straw on the first day, because that disturbs the clot that is doing the healing. If bleeding is heavy and does not settle after an hour of firm, unbroken pressure, call the office.
Swelling and bruising
Swelling builds before it settles. After third molar surgery it usually peaks around the second or third day and then eases. Resting with your head raised helps, and cold applied to the outside of the face on the first day is commonly advised. Bruising of the cheek or jawline can appear a day or two later and fades on its own. Swelling that is still increasing after the third day is worth a phone call.
Eating and drinking
Soft food and cool drinks on the first day, taken from a cup rather than a straw. Keep your fluids up. Add texture back as chewing becomes comfortable, and chew away from the surgical site while it is tender. Do not smoke or vape while the site is healing. Avoid alcohol entirely while you are taking anything we have prescribed.
Activity and driving
Rest for the remainder of the day of surgery. Avoid heavy lifting, strenuous exercise and bending at the waist until we tell you it is safe, because the effort raises pressure at the surgical site. If you had any form of sedation or general anesthesia, do not drive, operate machinery or sign anything important for the rest of that day, and have a responsible adult stay with you.
Keeping the area clean
Continue to brush your other teeth normally from the first evening. Around the surgical site, follow the cleaning routine and the timing you were given, and do not probe the area with your tongue or anything else. Gentle care beats vigorous care here.
When to call us
- Bleeding that does not settle after an hour of firm, continuous pressure
- Pain that increases after the third day instead of easing
- Swelling that is still worsening after the third day, or a fever
- Increasing difficulty opening your mouth or swallowing
- Numbness of the lip, chin or tongue that has not begun to return
- A rash, hives or any reaction you think may be from a prescribed medication
- Anything that simply does not feel right to you
We would far rather hear from you early than have you wait it out over a weekend.
You get the number
before you decide.
Surgical treatment should never come with a cost you find out about afterwards. Our office will verify your benefits with your plan and go through the expected cost of treatment with you before anything is scheduled.
Bring your plan information to the consultation, or call the office ahead of the appointment and we will begin the verification early. If a question about coverage cannot be answered on the spot, we will tell you that rather than guess at it.
For specifics on accepted plans, payment methods and any financing available, call the office directly. We would rather you had a current answer from a person than an outdated list from a web page.
Sent ahead, not handed to you at the door.
New patient paperwork is sent to you before your appointment so you can complete it at home, with your medication list and your insurance card in front of you rather than on a clipboard in a waiting room.
If it has not arrived a day or two before your visit, call the office and we will resend it. Arriving a few minutes early is still a good idea, in case anything needs a signature in person.
Know which number to dial.
During office hours
Surgical emergencies are triaged by phone during office hours. Call the office that treated you, describe what is happening, and you will be given direction. Bleeding, swelling, a lost dressing, a reaction to medication or a question about your instructions are all reasons to call.
Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Call 911 instead
Difficulty breathing, bleeding you cannot control, or loss of consciousness is a medical emergency and not a dental one. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. The same applies to a suspected head or neck injury after facial trauma.
Do not wait for the office to open, and do not wait for a call back. Get seen, then let us know.
Asked before every consultation.
Your referral if you have one, any radiographs taken in the past year, a full list of your medications and supplements, your medical history including allergies, and your insurance information. If you are bringing a child, bring a parent or legal guardian who can consent to treatment.
That is decided with you, not for you. We offer local anesthesia, nitrous oxide, intravenous sedation and general anesthesia in our own suites. The right choice depends on the complexity of the surgery, your medical history and how you feel about being awake for it.
Yes, for any form of sedation or general anesthesia. Arrange a responsible adult to drive you home and to stay with you afterwards. If you are having local anesthesia only, you can usually drive yourself, and we will confirm that when the appointment is booked.
After third molar surgery swelling generally peaks around the second or third day and then settles. Most patients take two to three days away from work or school and are back to normal activity within a week, though your own recovery depends on the surgery you had.
Handle it by the crown and not the root, rinse it gently in milk or saline without scrubbing, and if you can, put it back in the socket and hold it there. If you cannot, keep it in milk and get to us straight away. The first hour matters more than anything that follows.
Call the office that treated you. Surgical emergencies are triaged by phone during office hours. Anything involving difficulty breathing, bleeding you cannot control, or loss of consciousness is an emergency: call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Our office will verify your benefits with your plan and review the expected cost with you before treatment is scheduled, so you know the number before you commit to anything. Bring your plan information to the consultation, or call ahead and we will start the verification early.
Still have a question? Ask it before the day of surgery, not after.