What To Expect With A Surgical Tooth Uncovery

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PRE OPERATIVE INSTRUCTION

  • Eat prior to arrival.
  • You may take Ibuprofen or Tylenol 1 hour prior to surgery.
  • Recommend bringing your own music device ie. I-Pod to listen to during surgery.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING SURGERY

  • We will use local anesthetic to numb the area.  This may last up to 2 hours after the procedure.
  • We may need to remove a primary (baby) tooth in which you may experience a pressure feeling, kind of like someone pulling on your nose.
  • We will access the tooth by making a hole in the tissue.
  • Sometimes a laser is used to cauterize the tissue.
  • Depending on the orthodontist instructions, a chain or a bracket will be placed on the unerupted tooth.
  • A bandage may be placed to cover and protect the tooth, it looks like a piece of silly putty that covers the hole. 

POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOWING SURGERY

  • No Eating or Drinking for 2 hours after surgery is completed.
  • Do NOT drink through a straw or rinse the area for the first two days.
  • AVOID eating hard, tough, or rough foods (chips, popcorn, nuts, caramels, steak) during the first two weeks following surgery. It is best to chew soft food in areas of the mouth away from where the surgery was done (Ice Cream, Apple Sauce, Yogurt).   Do NOT bite into any food for the next week, (Pizza, Sandwich, Hamburger) 
  • Do NOT brush the bandage covering the tooth.  You can rinse with salt water, Listerine, Scope, etc. to help keep the area clean after 2 days. 
  • We will remove the cast 1 week after surgery was completed.
  • Light bleeding for the first 24 hours following surgery is normal. If bleeding becomes significant, bite on a wet gauze or a wet tea bag (tea bag is better) with firm pressure over the bleeding site for no shorter than 30 minutes.  If bleeding continues, call the doctor immediately.
  • Slight amounts of discomfort and swelling are normal and to be expected following surgery. If the pain becomes severe in spite of medication, or you experience an unusual amount of swelling, call the doctor immediately.
  • For pain relief, we recommend Ibuprofen, 2-400 mg every 6 hrs, and Tylenol, 500 mg every 6 hrs in an alternating dosage with the Ibuprofen. (i.e., alternate meds every 3 hrs)

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call the doctor at:

Office: 970-385-6800

Cell:  970-739-8291