There is no telling how much a smile impacts a person's first impression of you. A big smile can give someone the feeling that you are approachable and nice. When you aren't confident with smiling at people because of missing or damaged teeth, that can affect how confident you feel. If you have been considering dentures or dental implants to replace missing teeth, there are a few very important reasons why you might want to choose implants.
Implants Are a Permanent Solution
Perhaps the most important difference between dentures and dental implants is that dental implants are a permanent fixture in your mouth. The implant is placed where the root used to be, and it is connected at the jawbone. This means they will never have to be removed, and you can feel confident when chewing tough foods that your teeth are fully secure and will not come out. There are no foods that you have to avoid eating. You can also clean and maintain your implants like you would your natural teeth.
Implants Provide a Natural Appearance
When it comes to dentures, it's difficult to make them look natural. They can slide around on your gums, and they may not fit well in your mouth. Because implants fit in your natural gums and look as similar to natural teeth as possible, it's almost impossible to tell that they are not the teeth you were born with. Implants can be created to be as white as you like, or they can come in a more natural look with some slight yellow to look like other teeth you may still have. Your dentist will be able to get them to look the way you want.
Implants Help Maintain Health
One of the challenges with losing teeth is that it can impact your oral health in a variety of ways. One of the biggest health concerns is a thinning jaw. Teeth help maintain the strength of the jaw, but it starts to thin when a lot of teeth fall out of place. With dentures, this concern is not addressed. When you have implants installed to replace a missing tooth, it helps maintain the strength of your jaw. A strong jaw will keep your facial structure looking strong, vibrant, and attractive.
Having your best smile will help you live your best life. You'll feel confident talking and smiling with other people. Best of all, you'll maintain strong oral health. Getting dental implants can be done in a single session with your dentist, so it won't disrupt your life.
To learn more about dental implants, reach out to a local dentist.
Our oral surgery and general dental website offers important information on how to prevent dry socket following a tooth extraction. After getting your tooth pulled, a protective blood clot develops over the extraction site. Many of our blog posts explain how this protective clot helps promote healing after an extraction.
You'll learn that if the clot is accidentally dislodged, dry socket may occur, which can raise your risk for infection and heavy bleeding. We'll provide you with important tips on how to prevent this by avoiding smoking and drinking through a straw. You'll also learn that swishing water around your mouth should be avoided for a couple of days following your extraction because doing so creates a suction that may dislodge your clot, leading to dry socket.