What to Expect

• Completed registration forms
  • If completed online, there is no need to bring a copy
• Identification Card
• Medical insurance and dental insurance cards
• List of medications
• List of any questions or concerns

Please arrive 5 to 10 minutes early if you have already completed your patient registration paperwork. If you have not, please arrive thirty minutes early to complete in person.

Yes. A preoperative consultation and physical examination is required for all patients. During your consultation, we will review your medical history. Please be sure to bring a list of medical conditions and any medications you are taking.

Most medical insurance plans cover a portion of procedures to remove impacted teeth, however each plan is unique. If you provide your insurance information ahead of time, we will be able to check your levels of coverage under that plan for you.

Advanced Oral Surgery is a preferred provider for most insurance companies including Aetna, Ameritas, Blue Cross Blue Shield (dental & medical), Cigna, Delta, Guardian, Metlife, United Concordia, United Healthcare, Principal, and The Standard. We do accept other insurances and are happy to give you an estimate for coverage based on your specific insurance.

IV sedation is a form of anesthesia often described as a twilight sleep. You will not feel pain and likely will not remember anything about the procedure. Our doctors recommend IV sedation as it is the most comfortable way to have the procedure performed.

Safety is the top priority when it comes to our patients. The sedation medications produce a decreased gag reflex which reduces the ability to keep contents in the stomach. Stomach contents that move into the throat may be inhaled (aspirated) and could be fatal. We require no food or drink, gum, or even mints before your appointment for these reasons.

First, we place the patient on monitors to ensure their safety. Next, the doctor or a registered nurse (RN) will start an IV in the patient’s arm. Typically, the patient will fall asleep within two minutes of receiving medications. Your procedure will begin once you are comfortably sleeping. The medications are delivered and monitored throughout the procedure by the doctor and managed in relation to the procedure being performed and your health history.

The length of your procedure will depend on the procedure taking place. Wisdom teeth procedures typically take 30-60 minutes, but you can plan on being in the office a total of 1.5-2 hours. This time frame accounts for consultation, procedure, and recovery time. If you are coming in for only a consultation, we estimate 30 minutes. Feel free to ask our staff about your specific appointment when scheduling.

Do you have a question not listed above? Contact us at 952.683.9884 to get your additional questions answered or to request an appointment.

As you have learned, you are susceptible to gum disease. And, you have probably learned, too, that the main cause of gum disease is bacterial plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. The bacteria in this plaque produce toxins, or poisons, which constantly attack your gums and teeth. Unless plaque is removed, it hardens into a rough, porous deposit called calculus, or tartar. Daily brushing and flossing will help to minimize the formation of calculus, but it won’t completely prevent it. No matter how careful you are in cleaning your teeth and gums, bacterial plaque can cause a recurrence of gum disease from two to four months after your last professional cleaning. Therefore, a dental professional must check for hidden problems and remove the hardened plaque at time intervals appropriate for you so that your teeth and gums stay healthy.

The answer depends on you and the severity of your gum disease before treatment. Generally, the more severe your periodontal disease is initially, the more often an oral surgeon needs to oversee your care. Together, you, your general dentist and the oral surgeon will work out the most effective schedule for your supportive periodontal care.

Your maintenance/supportive periodontal care visit may include:

• discussion of any changes in your health history
• examination of your mouth tissues for abnormal changes
• measurement of the depth of pockets around your teeth
• assessment of your oral hygiene habits and provision of instruction
• removal of bacterial plaque and tartar
• x-ray film studies to evaluate your teeth and the bone supporting your teeth
• examination of your teeth for decay and other dental problems
• checkup on the way your teeth fit together when you bite
• application or prescription of medications to reduce tooth sensitivity or other problems you may have.

Your periodontal condition is the deciding factor. The interval between your supportive periodontal care (spc) visits might be as often as every few weeks or as frequent as every six months. Everyone’s situation is different. The frequency of your supportive care visits will be influenced by:

• the type of periodontal disease you have
• the type of periodontal treatment you have
• your response to treatment
• your rate of plaque growth
• your personal commitment to good oral care at home.

Your dentist and doctors at Advanced Oral Surgery & Periodontics work together as a team to provide you with the best possible care. They combine their experience to formulate the best maintenance plan for you. They keep each other informed about your progress. Appointments for periodontal maintenance do not replace regular dental checkups.

To prevent periodontal disease, the major cause of tooth loss in adults—and keep your natural teeth for your lifetime—carefully and conscientiously follow the guidelines of the maintenance program that the doctors at Advanced Oral Surgery & Periodontics recommend. Protecting your periodontal health through preventive maintenance has great benefits for you. You will be able to chew with more comfort, and you will be able to smile and speak with greater confidence. You will be able to keep dental costs down by preventing future problems. Your commitment to maintenance therapy is your commitment to your better oral health.