Everything you need to know before your first appointment and before surgery. Prepared by Dr. Abhisek Chatterjee's team to help you feel informed and confident throughout your care.
Your first appointment at The Maxillofacial Clinic is a comprehensive assessment designed to understand your condition, examine you thoroughly, and develop an appropriate management plan. It is not just a brief chat — it is a detailed medical assessment.
You will complete a brief patient registration form. Dr. Chatterjee or a team member will take a detailed medical and dental history — your symptoms, how long they have been present, any previous treatment, current medications, allergies, and relevant medical conditions.
A thorough examination of the face, mouth, jaw, neck, and any relevant areas. This includes assessment of jaw opening range, dental occlusion (bite), oral mucosal inspection, lymph node palpation, and any specific assessment related to your presenting problem.
Any X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, blood tests, or histopathology reports you have brought will be reviewed. Additional investigations may be requested if further information is needed before a diagnosis or treatment plan can be established.
Dr. Chatterjee will explain the likely diagnosis, recommended treatment, available options, expected outcomes, and risks. You are encouraged to ask questions — understanding your treatment plan is important. Consent documentation for procedures is provided and explained before any treatment.
Bringing complete records helps Dr. Chatterjee make the most accurate assessment at your first visit and avoids the need for repeated investigations.
These are general guidelines. Specific pre-operative instructions will be provided by Dr. Chatterjee's team for your individual procedure. Always follow the specific instructions you have been given.
For surgery under general anaesthesia, you must fast — no food for 6 hours and no water for 2 hours before your scheduled surgery time. Your anaesthetist will confirm exact fasting instructions when your surgery is planned. Do not eat or drink anything beyond these guidelines.
Inform Dr. Chatterjee of all medications you are taking. Blood-thinning medications (aspirin, warfarin, clopidogrel) are usually stopped 5–7 days before elective surgery. Diabetes medications and insulin may need dose adjustment on the day of surgery. Do not stop any medication without explicit medical advice.
Clean your teeth and mouth thoroughly the evening before and morning of surgery. Good oral hygiene reduces the risk of postoperative infection. Use chlorhexidine mouthwash if prescribed. Remove dentures before surgery.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing with short or roll-up sleeves for easy IV access. Remove nail polish, jewellery, contact lenses, and hearing aids before surgery. Leave valuables at home.
Arrange for a responsible adult family member or friend to accompany you and be available to take you home after surgery. You will not be able to drive yourself home after general anaesthesia or heavy sedation.
For patients travelling from outside Rampurhat, arrange accommodation close to Asha Nursing Home or Rampurhat Government Medical College for the post-operative period. Confirm expected hospital stay duration with Dr. Chatterjee's team in advance.
A plain-language overview of the most common procedures performed at The Maxillofacial Clinic.
Surgical repair of broken facial bones — jaw, cheekbone, eye socket, or nasal bones — caused by accidents or injury. Titanium plates and screws are used to fix fractures through incisions inside the mouth where possible, minimising visible scarring.
Full details →Removal of benign or malignant tumours of the jaw bone. Treatment depends on tumour type, extent, and involvement of bone. Some jaw tumours can be removed preserving the bone; others require segmental jaw resection followed by reconstruction.
Full details →Surgical removal of cancers of the mouth, tongue, cheek lining, floor of mouth, or palate with simultaneous reconstruction using free tissue transfer (free flap surgery) to restore form and function. Neck dissection is performed when cancer has spread to lymph nodes.
Full details →Surgical treatment of jaw joint problems including jaw locking, ankylosis (bony jaw joint fusion), degenerative joint disease, and condylar fractures. Ranges from minimally invasive arthrocentesis to total joint replacement with a prosthesis.
Full details →Surgical placement of titanium implants into the jaw bone to support artificial teeth. Single tooth, multiple teeth, or full mouth (all-on-4/6) rehabilitation. The implant acts as an artificial tooth root and integrates with the bone over 3–6 months before the final crown is fitted.
Full details →Surgical extraction of impacted or complicated wisdom teeth (third molars) under local or general anaesthesia. Recommended when wisdom teeth cause recurrent infection, pain, decay in adjacent teeth, or are developing in abnormal positions.
Full details →Following these guidelines helps ensure smooth healing and reduces the risk of complications after maxillofacial surgery.
Plan to rest at home for the first 24–48 hours after any surgical procedure. Avoid strenuous physical activity, bending, or lifting for the first week. Activity levels can be gradually increased as healing progresses.
A liquid or soft diet is typically required for 2–6 weeks after jaw surgery. Avoid hard, crunchy, or chewy foods that place force on the surgical site. Take nutrition through soups, smoothies, soft cooked foods, and liquids.
Swelling peaks at 48–72 hours and then gradually reduces. Apply ice packs (wrapped in cloth to protect skin) to the face for 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off for the first 24 hours. Do not apply ice directly to skin. After 48 hours, switch to warm packs to help resolution.
Keep your mouth clean after surgery. Gently rinse with warm saline or chlorhexidine mouthwash as prescribed — typically starting 24 hours after surgery. Brush other teeth gently. Do not rinse vigorously or spit forcefully, as this can disrupt healing.
Take all prescribed medications as instructed — antibiotics for the full prescribed course, analgesics as needed for pain. Do not self-medicate with additional painkillers without checking with Dr. Chatterjee. Report any adverse drug reactions promptly.
Attend all scheduled follow-up appointments. Wound checks, suture removal, plate assessment, and physiotherapy review are important milestones in your recovery. Never miss follow-up appointments even if you feel well — problems detected early are always easier to manage.
A referral is not strictly required to book a consultation with Dr. Abhisek Chatterjee — patients can contact the clinic directly. However, a referral letter from your dentist, general physician, or specialist is helpful as it provides background information and relevant investigation results. For patients referred from government hospitals or other clinics, please bring any referral documentation and previous investigation reports to your appointment.
A first consultation with Dr. Chatterjee typically takes 30–45 minutes. This includes taking a thorough clinical history, examining the mouth, jaw, and face, reviewing any existing imaging or investigation reports, and discussing a provisional diagnosis and plan with you. Additional investigations (X-rays, CT scans, blood tests) may be arranged at or after the first appointment. Complex cases may require longer appointments.
The decision for surgery is made after a complete assessment — clinical examination, imaging, and review of any relevant investigations. For some conditions (such as a displaced jaw fracture or confirmed oral cancer), surgery will clearly be required. For other conditions, a trial of conservative management may be recommended first, with surgery reserved if symptoms do not improve. Dr. Chatterjee will explain the rationale for the recommended treatment plan, including alternatives, risks, benefits, and expected outcomes.
Hospital stay depends on the procedure performed. Minor procedures under local anaesthesia (such as wisdom tooth extraction, biopsy, or arthrocentesis) are typically day procedures — you will go home on the same day. Surgery under general anaesthesia typically requires a hospital stay of 1–3 days for procedures such as jaw fracture fixation or TMJ surgery, and 7–14 days for major procedures involving free flap reconstruction. Your expected hospital stay will be discussed with you in advance of surgery.
Yes. Patients travel from across West Bengal and neighbouring states including Jharkhand and Bihar to The Maxillofacial Clinic for specialist maxillofacial care. Rampurhat is accessible by rail and road from Kolkata, Siuri, Murshidabad, and Jharkhand. Accommodation is available near Asha Nursing Home. For patients coming from a distance for outpatient consultations or day procedures, we recommend planning your travel around your appointment time and confirming logistics when booking.
Contact The Maxillofacial Clinic to schedule a consultation with Dr. Abhisek Chatterjee at Rampurhat, Birbhum. New patients welcome.