Oral Surgery Pre-Op Instructions

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.

Instructions for Anesthesia

During your initial consultation, Dr. McGann will explain the differences between the different anesthesia types that we offer, 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.

Included below are instructions we give our patients prior to their surgeries based on which anesthesia they have been scheduled for. Please read your instructions 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.

Local Anesthesia – numbing of the mouth only, fully awake during procedure. (click for details)
  • 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 your arm. (click for details)
  • 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 your procedure was not scheduled with IV sedation and your are now considering it, it is crucial to contact us before the day of your procedure (or as early as possible) to ensure we have adequate time and staff. This will help us avoid any scheduling disruptions and ensure the best care for you.

Oral Conscious Sedation – sedated via oral medication. (click for details)
  • 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.

Due to the additional time and preparation required for this type of sedation, we are unable to make any last-minute changes to your procedure if already scheduled for local or IV sedation. Further evaluation may also be necessary as it is provided on a case-by-case basis.