Can I Have a Pretty Smile If I Switch Out of Dentures?

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I’ve been in dentures for 25 years. I’ve hated my smile since getting them. I totally understand how George Washington felt about his wooden teeth. I’ve come into some money and would love to get dental implants. I have a couple of friends that got those instead of dentures and their smiles look very attractive.

Ellie

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Dear Ellie,

I’m glad you wrote. Yes, you can definitely get dental implants as well as a beautiful smile. Given that you have been in dentures for about 25 years, then you have lost a lot of your bone structure. In fact, you’re likely close to facial collapse, which I have an image of above. That means you will have one additional step. You’ll need some bone grafting done in order for you to have what you need to support the implants. But, after that, as long as you are in good general health, you should not have problem.

There are two things you will want to look for in the dentist that you use for this procedure. The first is someone with post doctoral training in dental implants. This is an advanced procedure and you want to make sure that you go to a qualified dentist. There are too many dental implant horror stories where people have had serious damage to their jaw. The best implant dentists are fellows with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. I’d start there.

The second thing you want to look for is their ability to create beautiful smiles. Whether you have dentures or dental implants, your smile can be beautiful. It all depends on the cosmetic skills of the dentist doing the work. This also takes post-doctoral training. Look for someone who has received training in cosmetic work from institutions like The Dawson Academy or The Las Vegas Institute of Cosmetic Dentistry. There are others, but these are two of the better known and respected ones.

This blog is brought to you by Mt. Dora Dentist Dr. Michelle Stillman.