Patient Information

Appointments

The University of Washington Dental School Clinic phone hours are from 8:15 am to 11:45 am and 1pm to 4:45 pm, Monday through Friday.

In order to arrange an appointment for consultation, simple extractions, or wisdom teeth removal, prospective patients should call the Dental School Clinic at (206) 543-5860. For all other procedures, please call our referral specialist, Jeanette Dorsey, at (206) 543-4609.

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery clinic is located in room B-350 of the B-Wing on the third floor of the Health Sciences Center, which is on the WEST side of the University of Washington Medical

Center.

Emergency Care

If treated in this clinic, the patient should call the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery resident on call through Harborview paging at: (206) 731-3000 after hours and weekends. During the day, until 4:45 pm, post-op questions and problems should be addressed directly to the clinic at (206) 543-5860.

For emergencies that occur after hours, weekends or holidays, call (206) 598-6190. Be sure to identify yourself as a patient of the School of Dentistry.

Aftercare

Care after Surgery

To reduce complications such as infection, and disruption of the early stages healing patients who have an oral surgical procedure are urged not to do any of the following for 24 hours after their appointment.

• suck on a straw
• spit (instead of spitting, you can wipe your mouth, swallow, or drool over the sink)
• smoke
• rinse your mouth
• brush your teeth
• chew gum or tobacco
• suck on candy
• Bleeding

A small amount of bleeding or oozing is natural. Rest quietly and keep your head elevated for 8 to 12 hours after surgery. Place a folded gauze over extraction sites for 2 to 3 hours. Bite down on the gauze with gentle pressure. Biting down with heavy pressure will make the muscles in your jaw ache. Do not change gauze pack more than once per hour. Oozing may occur for a few days.

If bleeding is heavy, follow these directions: use a dry piece of gauze to remove blood; dampen a new piece of gauze and place it over the bleeding area only; bite down firmly for 20 minutes. If bleeding is heavy and constant you need to be seen by one of the doctors on call.

Pain

Take your pain medicine as directed. The medicines are prescribed to control pain and to prevent infection. It is best to take the pain medicine before the local anesthetic wears off. Then take the medicine on a regular schedule. To avoid an upset stomach, take the medicine with food.

If you have not been given a prescription for pain, we anticipate that an over-the-counter pain reliever will be adequate.

Swelling

Some degree of swelling may be expected from most oral surgery. If swelling and pain increases after the 3rd day and you have a fever, you should talk to the doctor on call.

To minimize swelling, apply an ice pack to your face as soon as possible after surgery. Leave the pack on for 15 minutes, then take it off for 15 minutes. Repeat this as needed for the first 24 hours.

Do not apply heat to your face, unless told to do so. Heat can increase the swelling.

Food and Drink

Eat liquid or soft foods that can be chewed easily for the first two days. Try yogurt, instant cereals, cottage cheese, soups, mashed potatoes, and pudding.

Drink plenty of fluids as well. Try fruit juices, milkshakes, and egg nog. Drink them without a straw.

Avoid foods with small grains or particles like rice, popcorn, pizza and hamburger. Small food particles can get trapped in your extraction site and cause infection.

Oral Hygiene

The day after surgery use warm salt water rinses (1/2 teaspoon table salt to an 8 ounce glass of warm water) several times a day. Always rinse after meals. This will speed healing by keeping your wound clean. Start brushing and flossing your teeth 24 hours after surgery. Be careful to avoid your extraction site.

Other Conditions

• Discoloration - Some oozing of blood into tissue spaces may occur causing the skin to be black, blue, or yellow. Like any bruise this will begin to recede in a few days.
• Muscle Tightness - Tightness of the muscles may cause difficulty in opening the mouth.
• Related Pain - You may have a slight earache or a sore throat may develop. You may have numbness.

OMS Billing Office

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Business Office is responsible for overall delivery of billing and collection services, including financial policy development and implementation, statement generation, payment processing, collections, and insurance carrier contracting. These functions are performed in support of oral surgery clinics at the following locations:

• UW School of Dentistry
• UW Medical Center
• Harborview Medical Center