Prior To Surgery

• Schedule time off work (if applicable)
• Make sure that someone is available to drive you to and from surgery
• Arrange for a friend or family member to stay with you for 24 hours after surgery (if you are having sedation)
• Prepare food ahead of time that you can eat on the day of surgery (juice, shakes, yogurt, well-cooked pasta, mashed potatoes)
• Contact the office prior to taking any non prescribed blood thinners 10 days prior to surgery (i.e. Aspirin, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Advil)

Day of Surgery - with Sedation

• No food or drink for 8 hours prior to the surgery.
• If you take daily medications, you can take them with a sip of water.
• No food, coffee, juice – NOTHING. Only a sip of water necessary for brushing teeth that morning.
• Ingesting food or fluids within 8 hours of your surgery is a serious health concern that will result in your surgery being cancelled.
• Please arrive at the office 20 minutes prior to your scheduled surgery time.
• A responsible adult needs to accompany you home after surgery.Please dress comfortably

Home Care Instructions - Day 1

• You will have had local anesthesia (freezing) during your surgery, and you should begin taking your medications, when you get home before you have pain.
• Take all medication exactly as prescribed.
• Gently apply ice to the face for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off as much as possible, for the first 24 hours following surgery. The ice pack should be wrapped in a towel so as not to freeze your skin.
• Some bleeding from the site of the procedure is normal on the day of surgery. This should be minor and controllable with pressure applied with moistened gauze. Do not spit blood as the spitting action can encourage bleeding.
• Good nutrition. Fluids are important after surgery. Stick to cool, non-carbonated, non-alcoholic, caffeine-free, sodium-free and green-tea free beverages including fruit juices and water, milk and yogurt drinks. Do not drink anything hot or frozen. Sip from a cup and do not use a straw as this may encourage bleeding.
• Do not smoke. Smoking deprives your body of necessary oxygen that can impair your ability to heal after surgery.
• Do not brush the area where you had surgery, or where there are stitches. You may brush your other teeth. Do not rinse your mouth vigorously.
• Recline, but do not lie down flat. This will be more comfortable for you, and can reduce swelling.
• If you had sedation for your surgery, you are considered impaired for 24 hours. Do not perform tasks that require concentration, memory, or decision-making skills. This includes actions such as driving, operating kitchen appliances etc.
• Relax at home and do not engage in strenuous activity

Home Care Instructions - Days 2-5

• Ease into your daily activities.
• There may still be a small amount of blood coming from the site of the procedure. This is normal and is usually very minimal.
• Bruising and swelling may increase in the first few days after surgery. Swelling reaches its peak by day 3. If you have bruising and swelling accompanied by acute pain, fever, or a severely distorted appearance, contact our office.
• Take antibiotic medication, steroid (dexamethasone) if prescribed, pain-killers, and mouth rinse as directed. You may wish to switch from prescription pain medication to acetaminophen (Tylenol).
• Begin using the prescription mouth rinse on the day after surgery. Gently rinse and spit, twice each day. This will keep the surgical area clean. Do not brush the teeth in the area of your surgery until you have seen Dr. Joslin and she has advised that it is alright to do so. This is usually not until after week 2.
• You may have a dressing at the site of surgery, which is light pink in color and looks like chewing gum. This is used to make the area more comfortable after surgery. It will be removed by day 7, but may come off earlier. If it comes off earlier, it is okay. The site is sutured, and healing will not be affected.
• Do not pull or attempt to remove any sutures from the area.
• You can return to your normal exercise and routine within 3 days of surgery. If you notice bleeding or pain during your normal activities, scale back and give yourself more time to recover

Extremely Important

• In order to achieve the most success, grafts need to be immobilized. Avoid any pressure to the face that may disturb the graft
• Gum grafts need 3 weeks
• Bone grafts need up to 3 months

Activities that may disturb your graft include:

• Using a temporary denture intended for aesthetics only, as a means of chewing
• Sleeping on the side of surgery
• Resting your face on your hands
• Accidental bump by a child or other family member
• Sports related contact
• Maintain awareness of the area in the first months after surgery

Call the office (Monday to Friday 9-5pm) or Dr. Joslin’s cell phone (after hours) if you experience any of the following:

• Excessive bleeding (which does not stop after sustained pressure with gauze for 20 minutes. This type of excessive bleeding is usually thick in consistency)
• Extreme pain that cannot be controlled by your pain medication
• Fever

Office: (604)881-1381 After Hours: (778) 991-5289 (Please use for emergencies only) If you cannot reach Dr. Joslin, please proceed to the hospital nearest you for emergency care.