Do Dental Implants Make You Look Younger?

Are you feeling self-conscious about a missing tooth? Worried that gaps may make you look older? Missing teeth not only affect the appearance of your smile and your ability to bite and chew but they can also prematurely age you.

Although dentures and bridges are excellent solutions for missing teeth, they typically need to be replaced every few years and are not anti-aging solutions. A dental implant is a titanium post that does the work of a tooth’s root supporting the jawbone and transmitting chewing forces that prevent bone deterioration. This can take years off your appearance, preventing you from looking old and wrinkly before your time.

So, how exactly do dental implants make you look younger? Read on to find out more.

Give Your Face A Fuller Appearance

Missing teeth contribute to the appearance of sunken cheeks, which can make you look older. Teeth are anchored to the jawbone by sockets, and if these remain empty, bone loss occurs. The jaw contributes a lot to the structure of the face, and less jawbone will leave you with a gaunt appearance.

Jawbone is maintained through constant use with activities such as chewing and biting. When teeth are missing, the part of the jaw that anchors the teeth no longer receives the necessary stimulation and so deteriorates. Therefore it is important to replace missing teeth as soon as possible.

With dental implants, your dentist can restore the structural integrity of your face. The implants provide natural facial support, just like your old teeth. If you have already suffered severe jawbone loss, you may need a bone graft to ensure you’re a suitable candidate for an implant.

Prevent Further Tooth Loss

Gaps caused by missing teeth will instantly make you look older than your age. Not only that, but if there are gaps in your smile, the surrounding teeth will tilt toward the gaping void. With nothing to support them, they’ll weaken over time and eventually fall out, leaving you looking even older.

Additionally, the sockets where the missing teeth were located can become breeding grounds for a host of bacteria. If not addressed early and treated successfully, this can lead to additional tooth and bone loss and further jaw deterioration.

Dental implants fill the gaps, keep surrounding teeth in their place, prevent further problems and make you look younger.

Brighten Your Smile

Your smile is one of the first things anyone will notice about you. A survey on behalf of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry revealed that 48% of people believe that a smile is a person’s most memorable feature on meeting them for the first time, more so than the first thing they say. But as we age, our teeth begin to discolor and lose their youthful brightness due to stains and the enamel wearing away.

When this happens, no amount of brushing or visits to the dental hygienist can reverse the situation. However, dental implants are made with stain-resistant materials and can come with beautiful and natural-looking white crowns. The simple act of smiling with a mouth full of good-looking teeth will give you a youthful appearance.

Reverse Dental Wear and Tear

Even if you have been careful and attentive with your teeth and followed good oral hygiene practices all through your life, they will eventually show the signs of aging.

Over the years, we put our teeth through a lot of punishment. Whether it’s the amount of sugar in our food and drink or crunching and chewing hard foods, our teeth wear down and develop cracks and chips. Consequently, they look old. Sometimes the best option in this situation is to have the affected teeth extracted and replaced with implants.

Avoid The Need For Dentures

Dentures are prosthetic devices that do an excellent job of replacing missing teeth. However, people who wear dentures for several years may experience facial collapse if enough of their jawbone has deteriorated. Ill-fitting dentures can occasionally slip when you sneeze, cough or talk, which is the last thing you want if you’re hoping for a youthful appearance. Choosing dental implants over dentures avoids all these problems, restoring tooth functionality but without the potential for embarrassment.

Rolling Back The Years

Compared to other dental restorative devices such as bridges and dentures, implants are built to last. Once you receive dental implants, you will immediately notice they give you a firmer face with less noticeable wrinkles. Many of our patients report feeling great and more youthful after receiving dental implants.

If you want to know more about how dental implants can make you look younger and are interested in turning the clock back on aging, schedule a free consultation at Chesterfield Dentistry. Call us on (314) 469-6429 or use our online booking form. We look forward to hearing from you.