Will Dental Implants Make Me Look Younger?
Smiling can make you look more confident and joyful. This is why many patients come to us to restore their smiles after tooth loss. If you’ve ever felt self-conscious about missing teeth, it’s time to schedule an appointment with one of our dental implant dentists in Grand Rapids, MI.
Unlike dentures, dental implants are anchored in your jaw for the ultimate stability while you talk and chew. Continue reading to learn how dental implants can help you recapture your youth.
The Dental Implant Process
First, let’s talk about dental implants, what they are, and how they work. A dental implant is a prosthetic tooth root (typically made of titanium) that supports a crown. When you lose a tooth, your body starts to reabsorb the jawbone in that area in a process called osseointegration.
A dental implant mimics the stimulation provided by your tooth’s root, keeping your jawbone from becoming reabsorbed and preserving your natural bone structure.
Steps in the Dental Implant Procedure:
- If needed, you may have a bone grafting procedure to ensure that you have enough healthy bone for the implant to take hold.
- Our dental implant dentist will perform the implant surgery, embedding the post in your jaw.
- It will take a period of several months for the implant to permanently bond with your jawbone. You may need to come in for a few follow-up appointments to ensure that the healing process is going smoothly.
- Once the healing process is complete, you can return to our office to have your permanent dental restoration attached to the post. After that, your new smile is complete!
There are many reasons you may want to consider dental implants as a way to replace your missing teeth, including:
1. Protect Remaining Teeth
If you’ve lost your teeth due to aging, injury, or illness, call one of our dentists as soon as possible to explore your tooth replacement options. Dental implants can help you look years younger by filling the gaps in your smile and preventing further tooth loss.
Without a tooth implant, surrounding teeth will tilt toward the open space and eventually fall out. Dental implants replace missing teeth so you can look younger than your chronological age.
2. Avoid Bone Loss and Facial Collapse
affect more than just the appearance of your smile—they also improve oral health. As soon as you lose a tooth, you are at risk for further tooth loss, jawbone deterioration, and facial collapse.
Facial collapse not only changes the shape of your face, but makes you look older. Fortunately, our dental implant dentists can help you find a solution that works for your smile.
It’s never too late to improve your oral health. If you’ve already lost jawbone tissue, ask one of our dentists if you’re a candidate for a bone graft. That way, you’ll have sufficient jawbone tissue to stabilize your .
3. Skip Dentures That Slip
There are many ways in which we age. However, simply shrugging off poor teeth as part of aging can undermine more than just the appearance of your smile.
People who wear dentures for years will eventually experience facial collapse once their lower jaw deteriorates enough. When this happens, it becomes difficult to refit dentures so patients can chew without pain.
Even well-fitting dentures will occasionally slip when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or even smile. The abrupt movement causes dentures to shift. While this can be discreetly corrected by gently biting down and swallowing, many of our patients would prefer to avoid this hassle altogether.
You never have to worry about slipping dentures when you choose dental implants. Check out our blog post on why dental implants are better than dentures for more information.
READ MORE: Can You Eat Normally With Dental Implants? >>
4. Feel Confident When You Smile
If you’ve ever felt self-conscious about missing teeth, you owe it to yourself to schedule an appointment with one of our dental implant dentists. Many of our patients report feeling more confidence after getting dental implants.
Unlike dentures, you don’t have to worry about avoiding certain foods or learning how to speak around a bulky oral appliance. Dental implants look and function like natural teeth.
A smile conveys confidence and optimism, which is important for forming good first impressions. How people respond to you often forms the basis of personal relationships and business partnerships. You owe it to yourself to show the world the best side of you.
Ready to Make an Appointment?
Dr. Samuel Bander and Dr. Travis Mattson are . To request an appointment and learn if you’re a candidate for dental implants, call the Bander Dental Group at (616) 949-5980.