Haha, the IKEA analogy is spot-on. I remember being super paranoid after mine because I kept thinking, "Did I just spend all this money to mess it up by chewing wrong?" 😂 My dentist was chill too, thankfully, and reassured me that healing isn't always pretty or linear. Glad yours was patient about it—makes such a difference when you're already stressed about costs and everything else. Hang in there, sounds like you're doing great.
Totally get the paranoia about chewing—I was the same way. But honestly, I'm not sure the dentist being chill always helps. Mine was super laid-back too, and sometimes I felt like I wasn't getting clear enough instructions on aftercare. Did anyone else feel like more detailed guidelines would've eased some anxiety? Don't get me wrong, reassurance is great...but when you're dropping serious cash, specifics can really help ease the mind.
"Mine was super laid-back too, and sometimes I felt like I wasn't getting clear enough instructions on aftercare."
Yeah, I totally relate to this. I've worked in dental offices for years, and even I felt anxious when I got my implant done. My dentist was super chill too—almost too chill. I ended up asking a million follow-up questions because I kept worrying I'd mess something up. Honestly, it helped me to request a printed aftercare sheet or even jot down notes during the appointment. Sounds nerdy, but having something concrete to refer back to really eased my anxiety...
I get what you're saying about the laid-back dentist vibe...mine was similar, and at first I thought it was great—until I got home and realized I had no clue if I was brushing too hard or rinsing too much. Honestly, the best thing I did was call back the next day and ask them to email me a quick summary of do's and don'ts. Felt a bit awkward at first, but having that info handy made recovery way less stressful.
"Honestly, the best thing I did was call back the next day and ask them to email me a quick summary of do's and don'ts."
That's actually a really smart move. As someone who's worked in dental offices, I can tell you that sometimes we assume patients know more than they actually do—totally our fault. And with something like implants, it's easy to get anxious about every little detail (trust me, even dental professionals stress about their own procedures!).
If anyone else is feeling unsure, I'd suggest making your own quick checklist after your appointment: brushing technique (soft brush, gentle circles), rinsing (usually saltwater gently, no vigorous swishing), foods to avoid (hard or crunchy stuff), and signs of complications (excessive swelling, bleeding). If you're still uncertain later on, don't hesitate to call back like you did. Better safe than sorry...especially when it comes to healing properly.
