Medications
Dr. McGann will typically prescribe your medications after your initial consultation so that you can pick them up before returning for your procedure. Some of these may include pre-op medications such as antibiotics. Most pharmacies will not hold a prescription for longer than 7 days so we recommend picking them up as soon as possible or contacting your pharmacy if you don’t hear from them for a couple of days. Specific instructions for these medications will be printed on your prescription bottle for clarification.
Unless instructed otherwise by a doctor, do not stop taking any of your regular medications as described, including the morning of your procedure. If you are fasting by the time you are scheduled to take your medication, please take the smallest sip of water possible with them to wash down.
Preparing for Anesthesia
During your initial consultation, Dr. McGann will explain the differences between the different anesthesia options available, and make his recommendation based on your treatment needs and level of comfort. Many patients do well with procedures with local anesthesia only, though it is very common to have a lot of anxiety before any dental procedure, no matter how minor the procedure is. We always want you to feel confident and comfortable with the decision that you and Dr. McGann make together. If you are undecided and want to gather more details before making a decision, we recommend coming in for just the initial consultation before scheduling your procedure. This will give you time to compare your options and leave you feeling more prepared when returning.
Below are pre-operative instructions based on your scheduled type of anesthesia. It is important to read over thoroughly so that you are prepared upon arrival and we don’t run into any setbacks along the way. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have further questions.
Procedure Day
To ensure each patient (of all ages) receives the highest level of focused care, parents and caregivers remain in the waiting area during the duration of the appointment.
Following the procedure, a member of our surgical team will review all post-op care instructions with the parent or caregiver.
Local Anesthesia - numbing of the mouth only; fully awake during procedure.
- You do not have any restrictions with food or drink and you are allowed to drive yourself home after the procedure. Your mouth will still be very numb for several hours so you will still need to follow after-care instructions provided for your procedure.
IV Sedation/Deep Sedation - asleep during procedure from combination of medications administered via IV placed in the arm.
- Do not have any food or drink starting at 6 hours before procedure, except water or Gatorade until 2 hours before. If you are taking a GLP-1 medication, do not have food or drink starting at 12 hours.
- You cannot drive yourself. Your driver must arrive with you to check in, stay in the office during your procedure, and take you home as soon as you are ready to be discharged. For the patient’s safety, we are unable to start a sedation procedure unless a trusted driver is present so we cannot allow you to be dropped off and picked up afterwards.
- Wear comfortable clothing, flat shoes and a short-sleeved shirt (no dresses).
- If you wear contacts, wear your glasses on the day of your appointment.
If you are considering this option instead of local anesthesia or oral conscious sedation, please contact the office at least 24 hours before the day of your procedure (or as early as possible). This will help us avoid any scheduling disruptions and ensure the best care for you.
Oral Conscious Sedation - drowsy, but relaxed state via oral medication; awake and able to respond during procedure
- Do not have any food or drink starting at 6 hours before procedure, except water or Gatorade until 2 hours before. If you are taking a GLP-1 medication, do not have food or drink starting at 12 hours.
- You cannot drive yourself. Your driver must arrive with you to check in, stay in the office during your procedure, and take you home as soon as you are ready to be discharged. For the patient’s safety, we are unable to start a sedation procedure unless a trusted driver is present so we cannot allow you to be dropped off and picked up afterwards.
- Wear comfortable clothing, flat shoes and a short-sleeved shirt (no dresses).
- If you wear contacts, wear your glasses on the day of your appointment.
Oral conscious sedation requires advanced preparation and cannot be requested on the same day as an evaluation or procedure. Medications take time to take effect, and all consent forms must be signed prior to administration.
If you are considering this option instead of local or IV sedation, please contact our office at least 48 hours before your appointment to ensure this is the safest and most comfortable option for treatment, and allow us to coordinate necessary prescriptions. This will help us avoid any scheduling disruptions and ensure the best care for you.