Dental implants can completely transform your smile. They can also fill you with anxiety about the procedure itself. Anxiety about dental implants is commonplace, but in reality there’s little to worry about. Each year, millions of people get dental implants to replace missing teeth. The treatment has been shown time and again to be safe and nearly pain-free. Still, if you think you may have anxiety before dental implants, here some tips to alleviate that anxiety.

Ask Your Oral Surgeon for Details

Knowledge can be a powerful sedative, while fear of the unknown can cause apprehension and dread. You can alleviate anxiety before dental implant surgery by finding out as much as possible about the upcoming procedure. Your oral surgeon and/or oral surgical assistant will be able to answer questions about your particular and unique situation and treatment plan.  You can also obtain a wealth of general information from literature available at Northwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and at texasoralsurgery.com

Choose an Board-Certified Oral Surgeon

First of all, anxiety caused by impending dental implant surgery can be alleviated by choosing a Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon who has been extensively trained in a hospital setting to safely administer IV anesthesia. Additionally, anxiety can be reduced with the knowledge that your oral surgery office has passed an Office Anesthesia Evaluation (OAE) which requires that an oral surgeon demonstrate proficiency with administering patient anesthesia during oral surgery and that emergency management procedures are in place.   This rigorous and detailed certification validates  that a facility, equipment and emergency medications have been evaluated and thoroughly inspected.  It’s worth noting that the doctors at Northwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery are board-certified and have successfully passed all Office Anesthesia Evaluations.

Use the Visualization Technique

Once you are armed with valuable information about the process of getting dental implants, you can practice visualization. Visualization has been used by athletes to help them reduce anxiety and perform better. Sit quietly with your eyes closed and picture the dental implant treatment in your imagination, from the time you arrive for your appointment to the time you arrive back home. Be as detailed as you can, focusing on how smoothly the procedure is going. Do this several times every day. By the time the actual day arrives, you will have gone through the treatment so many times, it will feel like old hat! Now that you know you can feel better about the procedure itself, you can focus on looking forward to a better smile and improved functionality! For more information about dental implant surgery, or to schedule a consultation, please contact us today.