Advice after your nerve block for surgery
On this page…
Oral Surgery under General Anaesthetic
At the initial consultation, the doctor will put your name on the general anaesthetic waiting list. When your name gets near the top of the list, we will write to ask you to ring to arrange a date for pre-assessment and your operation.
At your pre-assessment appointment:
1) the Clinic Staff Nurse will do a nursing assessment, which includes recording your blood pressure
2) you may need to give a blood sample for testing.
Following the operation, you must take great care with oral hygiene in order to prevent infection (we will give you an instruction sheet when we discharge you). You will probably experience some stiffness, swelling and discomfort which may last a few weeks. You may also experience some numbness of your lip or tongue – again, this is usually only temporary. You will have dissolving stitches which should disappear within 6 weeks.
On discharge, we will give you some pain killers and mouthwash and possibly a course of antibiotics.
A post-operative appointment may be necessary.
N.B. It is very important to finish any course of antibiotics which have been prescribed. You can obtain a Sick Certificate from the ward. A Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) self-certificate is usually required for the first 6 days of sickness.
If you are not available to come in for your operation in the 3 weeks following your preassessment, please contact the Oral Surgery Waiting List Office by phone on 0300 615 4727 (9.30am – 5.30pm, Monday to Friday) to reschedule your pre-assessment appointment.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Oral and maxilofacial surgery service.
About this information
Service:
Oral and maxilofacial surgery
Reference:
M/018
Approval date:
13 January 2025
Review date:
1 January 2028
Click ‘show accessibility tools’ at the bottom of the page
Then click ‘select language’
Alternative formats
You can use the accessibility toolbar at the bottom of your screen to:
-
Change the text size
-
Adjust the font
-
Modify the colour contrast
-
Use the translate function
If you would like this information in another format, such as Braille, audio, or easy read, please speak to a member of staff.
You can also print as well as download as PDF using the “Print this page” button at the end of the page.
Staff will print a copy for you on request
Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.