A person’s confidence is the result of many different factors. While these factors vary from person to person, it is safe to say that at least a small portion of one’s confidence stems from his or her appearance.

One of the most engaging features of a particularly confident person is a confident smile.

A warm, open smile invites others in. It imparts a feeling of welcome, friendliness, and acceptance. A smile overcomes barriers that can separate people, like age, culture, and language.

Everyone smiles in the same language.

How Does Your Smile Affect Your Confidence?

One psychology study showed that people who smile were regarded as more likeable, more intelligent and warm when compared to non-smilers. People who do not smile often seem unfriendly or even rude. They sometimes give off negative vibes, which is the opposite of the effect of a warm, inviting smile.

There are many people who do not smile, not because they are unfriendly or rude, but because they lack confidence in their smiles. A 2015 survey by the American Dental Association found that one out of every four American adults avoid smiling due to the condition of their mouth and teeth. A closed-lipped smile simply does not convey the same welcome invitation as a wide, teeth-baring grin.

Fear of smiling widely or laughing openly in public lowers self-esteem, causing some to completely avoid social situations. Others do not apply for new jobs or promotions because the appearance of their smiles makes them unhireable.

There is no question that your smile affects your confidence.

How Do Missing Teeth Affect Your Smile?

It is obvious to most people that missing a front tooth would cause you to avoid smiling. Someone missing a front tooth may look down when she speaks or hold a hand in front of her mouth. Missing a front tooth can also lead to a speech impediment or lisp.

Missing a tooth on the side of your mouth is also visible in an open, engaging smile. It may give you only one angle at which to take your selfies. The neighboring teeth shift and move into the space where the tooth is missing, leading to crowding or gaps and even bite changes.

Missing back teeth affect the appearance of your mouth from the outside. Not only do teeth shift into an empty space where a tooth is missing; the cheeks do, too. This gives the face a sunken appearance, which makes you look older. If multiple back teeth are missing, the bite (or space between the upper and lower jaws) collapses, shortening the distance between your nose and chin. This shortening changes the look of the face and gives you wrinkles.

How Do Dental Implants Create Confident Smiles?

The previous section discusses how missing teeth negatively affect your smile. The reverse is also true: replacing missing teeth will positively affect your smile.

Dental implants are versatile. They can replace a single missing tooth, multiple missing teeth in a row, or even an entire mouth full of teeth. Dental implants are superior to any other type of tooth replacement because they are the only treatment option that replaces both the visible part of the tooth and the root.

The ability to replace the tooth root gives dental implants multiple advantages over the other missing tooth replacement options.

• Better cosmetic appearance – Rather than appearing fused to adjacent teeth, a dental implant stands alone. The replacement tooth emerges from the gums just like a natural tooth.
• Easier to clean – Dental implants do not attach or connect to the neighboring teeth. You can brush and floss normally. There are no special oral hygiene tools required.
• Better chewing function – Being anchored into the jawbone gives a tooth replacement the same amount of support as a natural tooth. The ability to chew is as good as or even better than it was when the natural tooth was there.
• No damage to neighboring teeth – Every other type of tooth replacement requires the support of other teeth in the mouth. Teeth only have the functional capacity to absorb a certain amount of chewing force. When we tie teeth together with a bridge or removable partial, they are forced to bear more weight than they are made for. Over time, this weakens and damages these supporting teeth.
• No embarrassment – Removable tooth replacements run the risk of loosening or falling out when you eat and speak. Because a dental implant locks into the jawbone, there is no risk for this type of embarrassing situation.

Dental implants are the only treatment option that give you a completely confident smile!