Whether it’s a routine wisdom tooth extraction or preparing for prosthesis with alveoloplasty, we recognize that most folks don’t get excited about an upcoming appointment with their oral surgeon. We get it, and we’re here for you!
To help you feel more comfortable and confident about your experience we’ve put together a brief overview of the process to ensure your visit, start to finish, is as painless as possible.
Where do you start?
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMS) are specialty dentists who partner with your general dentist or other dental care provider for your treatment. While not always necessary, your OMS and/or your insurance provider may require that you are referred for oral surgery through your general dentist to document that the treatment is necessary. Once you have received that referral, we recommend reaching out to your nearest OMS at your earliest convenience. Depending on where you live and whether you’re insured, it may take you some time to track down an OMS who is both nearby and in-network – or able to bill out-of-network benefits. Delaying oral surgery can lead to pain, other health complications, or having to restart the process altogether if your referral and/or imaging becomes outdated.
Our recommendation is to get started sooner rather than later.
Yes, We Do Require a Consultation
Once the appropriate registration information from you and your referring provider is compiled, we will get you scheduled for the type of consultation that best fits your needs. During your consultation, your OMS will review your health and medical history to look out for any factors that may or may not make you a good candidate for the various types of anesthesia that may be used in your treatment. They will conduct a thorough examination, review x-rays sent over by your dentist or take any necessary imaging, and talk to you about your condition or any concerns you may have prior to sharing what treatment plan they think would prove most successful.
It may feel redundant to have this initial meeting with your OMS, but it is an integral part of your oral surgery journey that helps establish a trusting relationship with the surgeon who will be responsible for your extraction or other treatment.
The Main Attraction: Your Extraction!
After you’ve had the chance to talk through your options with your OMS and have decided how you’d like to proceed, you will be presented with a treatment plan. This plan lays out each procedure you have agreed to, any anesthesia you have elected to receive, and the billing codes that will be submitted to insurance along with your OMS’ associated fees.
If you have insurance, your treatment plan will come with a caveat that the dollar amount listed is subject to change pending submission to your insurance. Many people opt to wait until their insurance determines what they will or won’t cover prior to scheduling, which is another reason we recommend getting your consultation scheduled shortly after receiving a referral.
Prior to the day of surgery, you will receive pre-operative instructions to ensure the best outcomes. Your OMS and their clinical team will advise you of any medications to stop and when to stop them ahead of surgery. They will also clarify what you may want to wear, whether you will need a responsible party on site to help get you home, etc.
If you are receiving general anesthesia, the most important piece of your treatment puzzle is to plan to keep an empty stomach for 8 hours prior to your appointment time. While a small bit of water may be OK to help you get down any pre-approved medications that morning, your surgeon’s request that you avoid ingesting anything has a real purpose in preventing aspiration or other unwanted complications during your surgery.
The Post-Op Period
After your surgery, post operative care instructions will be given to you and/or your responsible party to help manage any pain or swelling and prevent dry sockets or infection. Typically, you will be given a few phone numbers to call with any questions or concerns, and your OMS and their clinical team will be ready to field your call and help advise you on the best strategies to promote healing.
For some appointments, you may be booked a follow-up visit to ensure everything is progressing as it should. For others, you may feel lucky to not need to see your OMS again!
In any case, should you find yourself needing an OMS we recommend visiting myoms.org to begin researching your condition or to find an oral surgeon in your area.
Katherine LaFleur is Practice Administrator at Blue Water Oral and Facial Surgery.
