When the photographer prompts you with, "Say Cheese" how would you do it if you have some missing teeth upfront? This is embarrassing and could really lower one's self-confidence in interacting with people especially since people judge based on looks.

In the past, the solution for missing teeth is the use of dentures. These days, the best option is dental implant surgery. This is much better than dentures (and a toothless smile, of course!) because the final result appears real and natural. It also is stronger to allow you to bite and chew food properly. It also eliminates the worry of dropping your dentures, which could be socially disastrous.

Dental implant refers to a metallic replacement for missing teeth. It is made of titanium, which poses no threat to the human body system since it is popularly used in hip transplantation as well. This titanium metal is buried into the vacant section of the jawbone to serve as the root of the tooth. The crown is made of ceramic material.

People should not ignore their missing teeth because this can affect the facial structure over time. Since teeth will adjust to the vacant space along the jaw, a person's facial structure will be changed. Besides, missing teeth will harm the overall dental health of a person as well as rid him of a great-looking smile. An implant to fill the space left by the lost tooth will prevent the other teeth from moving. This will also help stimulate the bone along the jaw line as wells as prevent the skin on the cheeks to sag.

Here are the advantages of dental implants over dentures:

- Smile is improved
- More comfortable to use
- Stronger, healthier jawbones
- Won't slip like dentures
- More durable
- Can last a lifetime is properly maintained
- Appears more natural

So what is the process in smile replacement surgery? First there are some considerations prior to recommendation of dental implants. The dentist will take comprehensive X-rays and examine the patient to identify the following, which can tell if a dental implant is safe to do, or not:

" Healthy gums and tissues
" Mature bones in the jaw to handle the implants
" Sufficient space in the jawbone (strong and thick base)
" Overall health - without any conditions that can hinder the healing process

Once the patient has qualified, the dentist will schedule the surgery. The patient will be placed under anesthesia for pain management since an incision will be made into the gum to expose the bone. A hole will be drilled and the dental implant will be placed there. Gum will be stitched again to cover the implant. It will take a few months for the bone to attach to the implant.
After the period allotted to have the bone attached to the metal, the second phase involves another incision on the implant. An abutment will replace the screw previously placed there. This will need to heal for a few weeks, after which the ceramic crown or bridge will be installed as a final touch.