Pre- and postoperative management techniques. Before and after. Part 1: medical morbidities

This article provides readers with an overview of available evidence in relation to providing care to patients in different medical circumstances within oral surgery. There is evidence available to support discussions with patients taking particular medications (such as bisphosphonates, anticoagulants and corticosteroids) and also to try to prevent certain complications (such as 'dry socket'). In order to reduce the risks of potential morbidities, either perioperatively or postoperatively, operators must use high-quality, reliable and informed protocols, management techniques, advice and interventions to provide patients with the best care. These are used both preoperatively and postoperatively and patients should be consented appropriately, in a manner tailored to their own individual circumstances, but also using available evidence to explain the benefits and harms of any given procedure. In this short series we will outline and discuss common pre- and postoperative management techniques, protocols and instructions, and the evidence available to support these.