If you’re like most people who lose teeth as a result of an injury, decay, or gum disease, you likely feel some embarrassment about your smile now. You probably don’t want to draw attention to yourself, particularly your mouth. Needless to say, your self-confidence is lower than it used to be.
When you replace your missing teeth with dental implants, you can rebuild your confidence. How? Keep reading to learn a few ways these prosthetics give your mental health a significant boost!
No Fear of Slippage
At first, traditional dentures may fit snugly in the mouth, but it doesn’t stay that way. Over time, dentures start to feel looser and more unstable, leading them to come out of position while you talk or eat. Can you imagine your denture slipping or coming out as you’re trying to tell the punchline of a joke or during a dinner date? Now that’ll damage your self-confidence really fast!
On the other hand, with dental implants, your replacement teeth are secured to the jawbone itself, which means they will not slip and slide as long as you take care of them. You can rest assured knowing your implants will hold your teeth in place.
Healthy Jawbone
One of the telltale signs of an older person who has missing teeth is a sunken facial shape. Once the roots of teeth are lost, your body reallocates nutrients to other areas, and the jawbone begins to deteriorate in a process called resorption. As a result, it shrinks, causing facial wrinkles and a diminished facial shape, which could leave you wanting to hide.
Fortunately, resorption doesn’t happen when you have implants. The posts act like tooth roots, keeping the jawbone stimulated and robust. That way, your face retains a more youthful structure.
Strong Bite
Normal dentures usually come with a list of foods that you won’t be able to eat anymore. For instance, corn on the cob is out of the question, steak has to be cut into tiny pieces, and a crunchy salad may not work with dentures. Especially chewy or hard foods can be difficult to eat when your bite isn’t as strong as it used to be. However, with implants, your bite should be durable enough to handle most foods without issue. You can feel certain about eating basically whatever you want with these replacement teeth.
Just because you’ve experienced tooth loss in the past, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your confidence. By choosing dental implants, you choose to give your smile a second chance and give yourself the mental fortitude to be you again. You don’t have to worry about drawing negative attention to your mouth, and you can enjoy the moment, speak up, or eat in front of others without feeling self-conscious!
About the Practice
Northern Virginia Oral, Maxillofacial, & Implant Surgery consists of a team of five oral surgeons with decades of experience and advanced training. Understanding their qualifications, you can feel confident that your placement procedure will be successful. To learn more about dental implants or to schedule a consultation, reach out to one of our four offices here.