We’ve talked at length before about addressing and accepting dental anxiety. When you’re going to visit your local oral surgeon, it’s completely normal to feel anxious surrounding the experience—after all, most people don’t know the intricacies of oral surgery. At its core, it’s a fear of the unknown. Plus, there’s also the needles and all that. You get it, and we get it. But, what’s the best way of talking to your trusted oral healthcare provider about your fear of oral surgery?
If your dental surgeon who’s about to perform a full wisdom teeth removal on you doesn’t know that you’re anxious about the procedure, they’re not going to be able to do anything to help with that. But, if they do know what you’re anxious about in particular, any oral surgeon who’s worth going to will be able to take measures to help reduce your anxiety. Doesn’t that sound nice?
Opening the Conversation
When anxiety strikes, it can feel like your world is closing in on itself, and it can send you spiraling in no time. However, plenty of compassionate dental surgeons are out there who want you to have the best experience with them as possible—after all, oral surgeries, whether it’s having all four wisdom teeth extracted, getting replacements for missing teeth, or something else, are nerve-wracking enough as it is without added dental anxiety. Any and every surgeon out there has encountered patients with anxiety, and chances are good that they’re willing to take the time to talk with you about what’s triggering your anxiety.
While talented doctors who perform oral surgery are a lot of things, mind readers aren’t one of them. If you’re feeling nervous about an upcoming surgery or procedure, initiate a conversation with your provider. This can be done at a consultation, or if you’re coming up on a surgery, call their office and make an appointment to speak to your surgeon. All it takes to open the conversation is a simple phrase like “I’m feeling anxious about my upcoming dental implant surgery,” or “I have an intense fear of surgery or needles. What are some sedatives used in oral surgery that might benefit me?” Once you get the ball rolling by opening up, your dental surgeon can then take over.
Preparing for the Discussion
If you’re feeling nervous about an upcoming wisdom teeth removal or even something like having your mouth fully reconstructed by an oral surgeon, make a list of questions and concerns before you go in to meet with your dental surgeon. You might have questions about the procedure itself, pain management options, what recovery might look like, and plenty of others—all are fair game and are likely questions that your surgeon has received before and will continue to receive after.
Doing research on your upcoming surgery beforehand—and taking the time to have a conversation with your surgeon—can actually reduce anxiety. Knowledge is power, and sometimes people are just genuinely afraid of what they don’t know.
What to Expect from Your Oral Surgeon
If you suffer from anxiety, whether it’s generalized or something more specific, it can sometimes feel like you’re the odd one out and people aren’t going to understand where you’re coming from or why you’re even nervous in the first place. In most cases, that’s simply the anxiety talking.
We’re here for you, and we fully understand why someone would be nervous before coming in for a major oral procedure. We’re not going to undermine it at all—it’s a big thing; you might need to be put under, there’s the procedure itself, and of course the recovery time and all of that. In fact, we’d be more surprised if a patient wasn’t anxious at all before coming in for something like bone grafting of the jaw and mouth or wisdom teeth extraction surgery.
Most dentists are going to be compassionate and understanding medical professionals. Think about it—they see patients who are struggling with their mouth and teeth day in and day out. If you’ve ever had tooth pain before, you know how awful it can feel, and so do they. They understand anxiety, and they’ll likely be able to assuage some of those negative feelings and offer up plenty of solutions to help you put your mind at ease.
An oral surgeon with plenty of experience with anxious patients might suggest things to try like relaxation techniques prior to the surgery. This could be meditating, doing deep breathing exercise to calm a racing nervous system, or something as easy as listening to calming music beforehand. If they sense that you’re particularly on edge about the upcoming surgery, they might even suggest some form of sedation dentistry if it’s more of a minor procedure you’re going in for.
Any oral surgeon who knows what they’re doing is going to want to help you out and ensure that you get the best experience possible. By being open and communicating your fears, you and your dentist can work together to create a comfortable environment and have a successful oral surgery experience.
