We understand that many of our patients experience anxiety about a simple dental cleaning. So it’s expected that most–if not all–patients will feel some level of anxiety about a dental implant procedure.
The good news is that there are ways to manage anxiety so you can get dental implants in relative comfort before, during, and after the procedure. We do our part to help ensure you have the most restful procedure possible, and now a new study highlights an important insight: information is power and can reduce your anxiety.
How We Work to Reduce Anxiety
We know that anxiety is a significant obstacle that keeps many people from getting needed dental care or desired cosmetic dentistry. So we work hard to make our office environment as relaxing as possible.
Our staff always greets everyone warmly. You’ll feel welcome the moment you come in the door, and the friendly, caring, and relaxed attitude of everyone on staff can help you feel at ease. Our office is the kind of place where you might like to hang out for a chill afternoon. We offer drinks and refreshments to help you feel more at home. Many other amenities and comforts are also available to help you feel calm and in control.
But we understand that not everyone is able to relax at a dental appointment, even in this kind of comfortable atmosphere. That’s why we also offer sedation dentistry, which can help people with high levels of anxiety to get dental care.
More Details about the Procedure Can Help
Patient education is necessary to make sure people are making informed decisions about their dental care. But not all education is created equal.
To determine which types of patient education reduced anxiety, researchers randomly assigned 60 patients to receive one of three different education types. The control group was given verbal patient education about the procedure that was “devoid of the details of the operative procedures and recovery.” Study group one was given basic verbal information that included details about the procedure and recovery. Study group two got verbal information included details about the procedure and recovery, as well as a video of a dental implant procedure.
After receiving the different education approaches, each patient reported their level of anxiety before their procedure, immediately after their procedure, and one week later.
The group with the highest anxiety level at all points was the one that watched the implant video. But the group that received more detailed procedure information without the video had the lowest anxiety before the procedure and one week after the procedure. Immediate postoperative anxiety was the same between the group that received or didn’t receive procedure information.
This study also confirmed that anxiety and discomfort seemed to go hand in hand. People who reported higher levels of anxiety also reported higher levels of discomfort and used more pain medication.
Your Comfort Is Our Concern
If you are looking to get dental implants, but are anxious about the procedure, we invite you to consider Advanced Dentistry of Mohegan Lake. Give us the opportunity to show you what makes our office different and you’ll see that dental care doesn’t have to make you anxious.
Please contact us today for an appointment with a Westchester County implant dentist at Advanced Dentistry of Mohegan Lake.
