Losing one of your teeth affects your confidence and oral health. The good news is that our Grand Rapids dentists will be able to determine if you’re a candidate for the dental implant procedure.

A dental implant is a prosthetic tooth root that later supports a crown, filling the gap in your smile.

Continue reading to learn how you can eat your favorite foods again with dental implants.

How Do Missing Teeth Affect My Diet?

Eating becomes challenging when your teeth are not prepared to chew food adequately. While making your appearance less than desirable, badly decayed or missing teeth can also undermine the strength of your bite.

This will make it tougher to chew effectively and eventually alter your dietary habits until you are trading in that tasty steak for a bowl of soft scrambled eggs or yogurt.

But don’t push that steak (and other foods) aside just yet. Dental implants are the best way for you to enjoy all of your favorite meals.  Ask our dentists if you’re a candidate for the procedure and learn to love all types of foods again.

What are Dental Implants?

Our dentists know that dental implants are far more beneficial than other forms of dental reconstruction. Consisting of titanium rods that bond with the natural bone in the jaw, dental implants are stronger and support the teeth and the bite.

The implant is firmly rooted onto the jawbone and provides healthy stimulation in the same way a natural tooth root would. This keeps the implant stable and secure, much like a real tooth, so it doesn’t move under pressure. It enables the jaw and teeth to move and bite down properly.

Can I Eat Normally After Getting Dental Implants?

You’ll need to eat soft foods while you recover from the dental implant procedure. That way, your mouth and jaw will have a chance to heal. Stay away from foods that are sticky and/or hard to chew in the meantime. Once you fully recover from the dental implant procedure, you’ll be able to eat whatever you want.

Since dental implants mimic the natural function of teeth, you don’t have to worry about your teeth slipping or falling out — allowing you to bite and chew as though you had a full set of natural teeth.

Dental implants can also be shaped and shaded to blend in with the rest of your teeth, so nothing will look out of place.

How is Eating with Dental Implants Different?

Eating with dental implants is much different from what you may have experienced wearing dentures. Even the best-fitting dentures tend to slip, especially when you are eating foods that are difficult to chew. Once dentures slip, food can get caught underneath the appliance and irritate your gums. The only way to remove these food particles is to brush or soak your dentures after eating.

Most of the taste buds in your mouth are on your tongue. Yet, did you know that some taste buds are on the roof of your mouth? People who wear upper dentures have a plate that covers the roof of their mouth, which affects their sense of taste. One of the benefits of dental implants is that you’re able to use all of your taste buds.

Schedule an Appointment

Our dental implant dentists in Grand Rapids, MI are accepting new patients! To request an appointment and learn if you qualify for the dental implant procedure, call GR Family Dental at (616) 455-3020.

This blog post has been updated.