Travis & Nolen Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

This was the best dental experience I have ever had! First I called them and had a dental emergency and needed to get my wisdom teeth out fast. They were able to get me in the next day! The staff was so friendly and helped out a ton. I had Dr. Fernando do my surgery and he did an amazing job! I believe Gayle was the main person who helped me and she was the BEST!!! Her voice calmed me down and she stood by my side the whole time! They proscribed me the right amount of meds and I feel great! I would for sure recommend this place to anyone!

Whenever I flush out bits of food from my wisdom tooth socket, I can’t decide if I feel like a geologist studying layers of rock («Broccoli from the lunch era… Nutrigrain bar from breakfast… piece of rice from… the Proterazoic period.») or like that dude in the State Farm commercial that pulls out an old cellphone, french horn, and Andre Dawson from the hedges at Wrigley (piece of salmon groggily flops into sink: «What year is it?!»). Despite the disgusting and tedious nature of this thrice daily task, I’m so glad to be healing the way I have, and it’s all thanks to the staff at the practice of Drs. Travis and Nolen.
After a miserable experience at my general dentist with an impacted wisdom tooth extraction, where I strongly felt that he did not adhere to the standard of care in relation to post-​operative treatment, I desperately sought help elsewhere. My boyfriend’s mother recommended this office to me, as they were the ones that extracted her wisdom teeth. «They were so kind to me,» she gushed.
She was spot-​on. As I lay on the couch sobbing in the fetal position at 11 o’clock at night, my boyfriend called their office, expecting to just get a voicemail message so he could jot down their hours. Instead it automatically connected to the exchange, where the woman on the other line was very helpful in taking down my information with the intention of getting me an appointment as soon as possible.
I didn’t want to wait, though, so as soon as I thought they might be open the next morning, I called their Clayton location and laid my sob story on them. That I’m drugging myself to pieces, puking it all up, in excruciating pain, and my general dentist refused to put eugenol packing in. The receptionist was extremely compassionate and empathetic, and asked how long it would take me to get there. «Ten minutes?» «Why don’t you come in right now?»
Ooh, Nelly! I raced over there (well, my poor boyfriend dragged my Percocet-​ridden groggy self as fast as I could move), and the woman I talked to shot me a sweetly pitying look as she handed me my paperwork. I didn’t have to wait long at all; before I knew it I was being seen by Dr. Travis and getting packing delicately poked into my wisdom tooth socket. I’ve never been so happy to see a horribly-​tasting, brown, moist, wormlike strip of fabric dangling in my mouth.
The pain that I had been suffering from for 6 days was gone within minutes. My juice-​pudding-​yogurt diet that I would taste both going in and coming back out every day for almost a week was no more. I went home and immediately ate some walnuts. It was the crunchiest thing I could find and I was exhilarated.
Everyone here was so nice. Dr. Travis was so sweet, in that kind, grandpa-​like way. Like, immediately after my appointment I wanted to go to Crown Candy with him and maybe the zoo and get some balloons and look at the penguins.
He’s been doing this for longer than I’ve been alive, though, so I definitely trusted his knowledge, too. I ended up going back I think 5 or 6 times to get the packing changed out. They never made me feel like a burden coming in so often for an un-​billable appointment, and they were totally flexible with my appointment times. Basically any time I could stop in, they would see me.
They seemed to really take an interest in how I was feeling. Whether they actually were interested or not, I’m totally okay with faking it! Regardless, I felt valued here as a patient.
I so wish they did general dentistry, because I’d make the switch in a heartbeat. But for anyone that has more advanced needs, definitely check this place out.
Thanks, Dr. Travis and gang! Every time I happily squirt a chunk of leftovers out of my socket and into the sink, I will fondly think of you.