We’ve all been to the dentist, and for some of us, the anticipation of a dental surgery or the pain that comes after the surgery scares us the most. These pre- and post-dental anxiety sessions can affect our daily activities.
People with dental phobia are affected by this type of anxiety the most. Sometimes, dental operations can be tricky, and most of the time, dental treatment includes the use of sharp objects and drills. All these things create that phobia, which may even scare you into postponing or canceling your dental appointments.
If you, too, have dental phobia or anxiety and want to deal with it healthily, then you have come to the right place.
Here, we will discuss ways to deal with your dental anxiety during and before a dental implant.
Table of Contents
1. Don’t Miss a Scheduled Appointment
Dental anxiety can scare you into postponing your appointments. However, this only makes things worse. You can not overcome your fear until you physically go there for checkups. And if you are due for a dental implant, postponing the appointments will only worsen your condition.
The usual process of setting up Dental implants can take a long time, depending on the number of teeth that need to be replaced. If you don’t have healthy bones to support the implant, you first need to set an appointment for grafting. After that, you will have to wait six months for the next step.
But instead of grafting, if the dentist needs to extract the teeth, there will be another small waiting period after the extraction. Finally, the implant will be set.
In most cases, it takes at least two weeks for the gums to heal and fuse before fitting a permanent tooth.
The longer you procrastinate, the more fear may develop, and you may also risk getting other kinds of dental complications without your regular checkups.
2. Ask for dental Sedation
Ask for dental sedation in Medicine Hat, if you find it difficult to unwind. These medications will help you relax. You will need someone to drive you to and back from the dentist. Sedatives are strong, and their effects can last a long time.
3. Plan Out the Date
Set a free date when you won’t have any other issues to attend to. Dental implants are safe, but require a long time to complete all the steps.
If you plan your date during a busy week, your anxiety might only worsen, and you may make excuses to get out of the appointment. You may even need to take a few days off after the implant to recover fully. So, plan accordingly.
Since the process of getting a dental implant is already long, set the appointment for a date when you will not feel rushed or under pressure. This will significantly reduce any pent-up anxiety.
4. Discuss with Your Dentist about Your Anxiety
Opening up about your anxiety is probably the best thing you can do. Talk about what makes you uncomfortable or scared during a dental appointment. Learn about the steps of dental implants and the recovery time after each step.
Talking openly about your anxiety does two things. One, it will help the dentist understand how to treat you better. And second, if you see the dentist not responding to your questions or dismissing your feelings entirely, you can go ahead and follow the next step.
5. Get a New Dentist
Your anxiety will only get worse if your dentist initially dismisses your queries. In that case, go to a new dentist. One that your friends, family, or peers recommend. You can also check their websites for customer reviews. If you find someone who loves his/her dentist, set up an appointment. On your first day, talk about your fears and anxiety, see how they respond, and decide if this is the dentist you would want to go to.
6. Use Relaxation Techniques
Now that you have found a better dentist, and fixed an appointment, it’s all on you. You just have to be brave enough and get done with the procedures. However, some relaxation techniques will help you throughout the process.
Yoga and meditation are great ways to reduce your anxiety. Try getting morning appointments and before every appointment, do a 30-minute yoga session. If you are not into yoga, there are other ways as well. For some, hitting the gym can be a great way to relax the body and mind. Others may find serenity in an early morning run, jog, or bike ride.
Find out what calms your nerves the most and do it before every appointment.
7. Ask for Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy can be extremely relaxing and is even recommended by dentists for those with dental phobia or anxiety. It is a holistic therapy that uses essential oils which contain antibacterial, antifungal, and other healing properties.
The essential oils can be used in candles for inhalation, or can also be used as lotions and creams and applied on the skin. There are a lot of different types of essential oils with different scents. Some of the most popular and used ones during dental treatment are lavender, lemon, orange, rosewood, juniper, clary sage, and cedar wood.
According to recent research, lavender oil tends to be the most effective one in reducing the patient’s anxiety.
8. Use Headphones
Music has a calming effect. You can either listen to calming music or audiobooks, whichever you prefer. You can ask your dentist before the appointment whether you can put your headphones or earbuds on during the treatment.
This is more of a distraction technique, but it greatly reduces your anxiety. Noise-canceling headphones are also great for canceling out the noises of drills or blades used for the treatment.
Final Thoughts
Dental anxiety is very common, especially before and during procedures like dental implants, which take a long time. We hope this article helped provide you with all the information you needed.
Try out all the techniques we mentioned above to find out what helps you the most. Keep doing it before every dental appointment, and soon you will get rid of your anxiety completely.