Staten Island Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery - South Avenue

I have been to this office many times and have even recommended multiple family members/friends to come here for any of their needs. Each doctor in the office has a great bedside manner and are very knowledgeable. From start to finish, I was informed of any copays prior to my appointment unlike other offices who spring it on you the day you are there and was informed on how my procedure would go including recovery time and post operative instructions. Myself and family members were all in very minimal pain following our procedures. I can't recommend this office enough, you'll be in the best of hands with any doctor you see and any staff member that is apart of your care :)

My 12 year old highly-anxious son needed an impacted molar removed and I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Lam and the entire staff. From the minute we walked in and were greeted by two friendly office staff, especially Roma who was so compassionate as she saw my son was extra nervous.  Within 5 minutes we were called into the back where we were able to stay with my son while the sweetest nurse (I believe her name was Jessica) made small talk with my son and explained everything that was going on. When he got too nervous for oxygen, she didn’t make a big deal and said no worries we can do that later. She did everything to make him feel comfortable and made it not a big deal which is great for nervous children. Then Dr Lam arrived and also calmed all his fears and explained everything and did an INCREDIBLE job. My son literally had no pain at all afterwards, he took motrin the first day and that was it. The entire staff was so patient and kind and caring and the whole process went so smoothly. This is how every oral surgeon office should be! Also the office is gorgeous and immaculately clean. Things went so well that we recommended them to my brother in law, who went a few days later and had an extraction and he was also blown away by their compassion and expertise. I highly recommend Dr Lam and staff to anyone who needs oral surgery.

Amazing. Something I wouldn’t expect to say about a dentist, but Dr Hoffman is incredible. I had two implants done with him and had not a single issue, they came out beautifully. And he is great at explaining the process, telling you what to expect, etc. I am back a few years later due to bone loss in my jaw and he came up with a plan - both for short and long term.

Staff is helpful, kind and friendly - and offices are beautiful. If you need implants, this is absolutely where you need to go. Very highly recommend!

I had double jaw surgery with Dr. Patel to correct my underbite, and I truly couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Dr. Patel and her team were amazing—so kind, patient, and supportive throughout the entire process. Communication was always clear, and I always felt cared for.

During my overnight stay at the hospital, Dr. Patel’s team came in to check on me multiple times—checking my bite and other things I honestly don’t remember clearly—but it really made me feel reassured and cared for before being discharged.

If you’re nervous about the surgery, don’t be! You won’t feel a thing thanks to the anesthesia, and waking up afterward is easier than you might expect. If you’re afraid of throwing up, it’s okay—I threw up (blood) three times and panicked the first time, but it actually gave me some relief afterward.

The first two weeks after surgery was mostly uncomfortable, not unbearably painful. There is pain, but it’s manageable (and that’s coming from someone who isn’t great with pain!). The prescribed meds help a lot for the first to the second week, and after that, Tylenol was enough for me. The discomfort from my nose all the way to my chin continued until week 3-4. Also, don’t be alarmed with how swollen your face is going to be (I compared myself to a balloon and then Yoshi from Mario lol!) The swelling goes down day by day and you’ll notice it.

One thing I didn’t think much about before surgery was the clogged nose and phlegm—it can be annoying, especially at night. Personally, nasal spray didn’t help me (I used three different kinds) and sometimes made things worse, but I’ve heard it works well for others, so it depends on the person.

Eating through a syringe for the first two weeks was really tough, but by weeks 3 and 4, you start swallowing very soft foods again (not chewing yet). By week 5 (which I’m currently on) to week 6, I started slowly chewing those same soft foods and other foods like wonder bread, just to get used to chewing again, slowly. And after that, I was told that I can start eating harder foods depending on if I am able to or not. Chewing is still tough since there’s a lot of swelling and numbness inside my mouth, and since I’m still trying to get used to my new bite but it’s getting better every week.

The recovery is long and is really mentally challenging, so be patient with yourself and take things one day at a time. And once your doctor clears you, you start mouth and jaw exercises—they’re difficult at first because of the stiffness, but they make a huge difference. Also, don’t forget, every person’s recovery process is different, so, try not to compare your progress to others.

Overall, I’m so thankful for my results and for Dr. Patel and her team who supported me every step of the way!

I had a fantastic experience at this office. The entire front end staff is so kind and welcoming when you come in. They are extremely accommodating and helpful. Dr. Li is a fabulous surgeon. She kept me informed before, during and after my wisdom tooth removal. She explained thoroughly what to expect and the many options I had in order to remove my wisdom teeth. Dr. Li was kind, gentle and exceptionally helpful. She spoke to me throughout the procedure so that I would not be shocked or surprised. The staff helping her was phenomenal. Sophia and all of the girls assisting (I did not get all of their names, they were all lovely) were so easygoing. They helped me feel comfortable during the entire process. I was initially very nervous, but the entire staff helped to make me feel confident going into this procedure. Thank you to everyone on staff here, you made a nerve-wracking experience an extremely positive one and I cannot thank you enough. I will be returning for any oral surgery needs and recommending everyone I can! This was an experience I will not forget!