How many times have you sat a patient down to discuss dental implants only to have their eyes glaze over? Do you get the feeling that most people have no idea what a dental implant is? You’d be right. In fact, most people, when they hear the term ‘implants’, automatically envision a Kardashian. Their minds aren’t on their teeth. This means that you need to be sensitive to your patients’ sensibilities and knowledge, and you must explain dental implants in very simple language, especially if you want those patients to be receptive to the idea. What follows is a conversation map that can help you traverse the business of dental implants as successfully as possible with even the most uneducated of patients.

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The Benefits of Implants

When you begin discussing dental implants with a patient, you are basically selling the person on the idea. And as with all sales presentations, you should always focus on the benefits of the product you’re selling. To sell the benefits of dental implants, get right to the bare bones of it very early on.

For instance, instead of telling your patient that a titanium post will be surgically implanted into their jawbone, whereby a crown or bridge will be affixed to that post, which is technically correct, say something simple like, “A dental implant will fix your broken tooth.” Or, better yet, tell your patient that a dental implant looks and feels just like a real tooth, and that the only way to determine if someone is wearing a dental implant is via x-ray. That’s the type of language that most patients will respond to.

Other Implant Advantages

They Look Like the Real Thing: Most patients will want to know why they should get an implant. To sell the person, focus on their aesthetics. A person’s looks are very important to them. But instead of telling your patient, you’ll look better, use storytelling to help the patient envision a new and better them. Tell them that walking into a job interview will go far better if their smile is complete, white and gleaming. Walk them into the interviewer’s office and help them envision their new bright smile, and the killer first impression they’re bound to make.

No More Tooth Loss: Losing a tooth is a big deal, and patients will want to know that you can prevent them from losing anymore teeth. To better sell dental implants, tell the patient that having implants will help to save their remaining teeth, preserving their natural smile for years to come.

Completely Reliable: Your patient will be more receptive to the idea of implants if he knows that he can always rely on the implant to remain strong, aesthetically pleasing and in place for years to come. Instead of telling the patient that you’re using titanium or a composite ceramic that is ultra-strong and durable, which may be true, let the patient know that you are using materials that are compatible with their natural body. These materials have a low chance of rejection, which lends greatly to the dental implant success rate of 93%-96%. Help the patient see years into the future, with the dental implant always performing as intended.

Improved Confidence: In addition to convincing patients how they’ll look and how well the implants will function, be sure to talk about how patients will FEEL with implants. Again, use storytelling and help the patient visualize the results. Talk about how confidently they’ll be able to eat an apple, if they’re a previous denture wearer who was unable to do so. Talk about how confidently the person will be able to smile in a crowded room. Or how well the person will be able to talk if tooth loss has caused a lisp, for instance.

Simple Language Before Complex

Of course, eventually you’ll have to explain to the patient how the process works and what you’ll be doing during the implant procedure. This is the time for explaining the difference between a subperiosteal implant and an endosteal implant. It’s the time when you might discuss sinus augmentations and ridge modifications. But get too technical too early on and your patients’ eyes will quickly glaze over and they’ll only picture you digging in their mouths with lots of pointy objects instead of the benefits of implants you should be selling.

Now, I know you already know all of this information. It is, after all, your extensive education and experience that makes you an excellent doctor to be performing dental implant procedures on all of your patients who need it. But sometimes with all of our education, we lose sight of what the other person will understand and what they’ll most be receptive to.

When it comes to convincing your patients that dental implants are the ideal treatment for them, it’s best to take their point of view. Consider what terms they’ll understand - such as broken teeth, missing teeth, dentures and bridges. Only after you’re on the same page, should you turn the page and go more for more complex terminology and ideas.

You’ll have a far easier time selling dental implants if you can help the person see the improvement to their quality of life in as little as nine months (or even sooner). This goes for explaining implants in person or on your website. When it comes to the latter, perhaps you’d like the professionals to handle the digital side of your implant marketing. The benefits? Let’s just say you’ll get far more phone calls, in-office visits and you’ll schedule far more dental implant appointments if you have an easy-to-find-and-navigate implant website. Click here to schedule a free consultation with us, your digital marketing professionals.