Efficacy of oral alprazolam in the management of perioperative anxiety in dental implant surgeries: A randomized controlled study

Objectives: Surgical anxiety has emerged as a major limitation of implant surgery impeding its emergence as a leading choice of rehabilitation. It also triggers a series of physiological, emotional, and cognitive responses which adversely affects treatment outcomes and postoperative management. Hence, this study was designed specifically to address anxiety in patients undergoing dental implant surgeries. Materials and Methods: This study included 54 partially edentulous patients requiring single-implant rehabilitation. The patients were randomly assigned to the test group (Alprazolam group) and control group (Placebo group). Twenty-seven patients (test group) received Alprazolam 0.5 mg as a preemptive anxiolytic and 27 patients (control group) received a multivitamin tablet as placebo 1 h before implant surgery. Heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate of patients were measured to access the activation of sympathetic nervous system. Results: Oral administration of Alprazolam 1 h before the procedure showed significant reduction in preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing surgical placement of dental implants. Conclusion: Anxiolytic effect of Alprazolam mediated by binding to the alpha 1 subunit of GABA A receptor enhances the inhibitory effect on the nervous system. Preoperative administration of alprazolam 0.5 mg h prior, conceivably be standardized for management of surgical anxiety.