When you’re missing teeth, your confidence can take a big hit. You smile less because you may be embarrassed by your gaps. Or you just can’t get used to how awkward it feels to chew with your newly missing back molar.
Before you wave goodbye to steak dinners, corn on the cob, and biting into crisp apples, you should know this doesn’t have to be the end of your smiling era.
Dental implants are a permanent solution to missing teeth. In fact, confident smiles and dental implants go together like fried chicken and sweet tea!
Here’s 5 ways dental implants can help restore your confidence.
1. Restores your beautiful smile.
The most obvious outcome of saying yes to dental implants is you get back the teeth you’ve lost!
Dental implants really do look and feel just like real teeth. When you have your complete smile once again, you tend to smile more often! And smiling is good for you.
Studies have shown smiling can strengthen social bonds, relieve stress, increase your level of productivity, and help you live longer. This is due to the hormones your body releases when you smile – so you can really smile your way into a better mindset with dental implants.
2. Preserves your youthful appearance.
Once you get your dental implants placed, it won’t be long before you start to notice the amazing changes. Not only will you get back some chewing power, but you’ll also start to see differences in your skin! Your facial skin will become firmer and your wrinkles become less noticeable.
That’s because the effects of missing teeth go deeper than a gap or two in your smile. Once a tooth is lost, that portion of your alveolar bone loses its purpose – helping connect your periodontal ligaments and nerves to your tooth and absorbing shock from chewing.
Because stimulation through chewing is what strengthens the alveolar process, people lose an average of 50% of their alveolar bone in the 6 months after tooth extraction. As your jawbone shrinks from tooth loss, your face may take on a sunken or wrinkled appearance, making you look decades older.
Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option that helps save and refresh your jawbone, thus preserving your healthy, youthful appearance. This is because a dental implant will actually become a part of your dental structure (just like your old tooth) through the process of osseointegration. This is just a technical term for the process that your gums, jawbone, and other mouth tissues undergo once an implant is placed to help support your confident smile and a successful implant!
3. You get to eat all your favorite foods again.
Sometimes when you’re missing one or more teeth, certain foods can be a challenge or next to impossible to eat! Whole apples, dried fruits, nuts, choice cuts of meat, popcorn, and the list goes on depending on your comfort level.
Because dental implants look and function just like natural teeth, you’ll be able to say “yes” to all your favorite foods again!
4. No need to worry about loose dentures or speech problems.
You may have been avoiding meeting friends for brunch or going to a mini-golf outing with your family until you get your dentures adjusted. Fit adjustment appointments can take weeks to be scheduled, new dental impressions have to be taken, and then you have to wait until your new dentures are made and ready for pickup.
This can cause some embarrassment as you will start to mumble or slur your speech due to loose or shifting dentures. You may feel embarrassed or annoyed that you’ll have to constantly excuse yourself from family dinner to fix your dentures.
These are problems you won’t have to experience with dental implants as they are permanently fixed inside your mouth. Dental implants also have an easier adjustment period as your tongue has muscle memory and your speech can quickly adapt to your new device. With dentures the learning curve for speech is a little longer due to your cheek and tongue both having to adjust to your bulkier device.
5. Creates a smile that lasts a lifetime.
The ADA recommends getting new dentures every 5 to 7 years. Why? Because bone and gum tissue loss will still continue as you age – especially if you’re missing more teeth. And of course dentures will be subject to normal wear and tear.
But with proper care and maintenance, dental implants can last a lifetime! They’re simple to care for as they act just like a real tooth and are as strong as one.
Confident smiles and dental implants go hand-in-hand!
If you’re considering switching out your dentures for dental implants, you’re in for a major confidence boost! Or maybe you’ve recently lost a tooth to cavities or gum disease and are considering dental implants over dentures.
No matter your situation, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions about dental implants. We’re always happy to discuss any of our treatments or technologies with you. Our team is here to support you and your gums!
If you’re looking for a top periodontist in Tampa or New Port Richey, we’d love to meet you! Request an appointment today.
