Secure Smile dental implants anchor directly into your jawbone, providing a bite that feels and functions just like your natural teeth. Traditional dentures sit on top of your gums, relying on adhesives and suction that inevitably fail when you need them most: during important conversations, meals with family, or moments when you want to laugh without worry.
At Olympia Hills Family Dental, Dr. Hafen transforms lives through Secure Smile treatment, replacing multiple missing teeth with permanently fixed restorations. Our dental implants approach eliminates the daily struggles of denture maintenance while restoring your ability to eat, speak, and smile with complete confidence.
The Fundamental Difference in Stability and Function
Traditional dentures rest on top of your gums and depend on suction, adhesives, or clasps to stay in place. This creates inevitable movement during eating and speaking, leading to discomfort and embarrassment. Secure Smile implants eliminate these problems by fusing directly with your jawbone, building a foundation that functions like natural tooth roots.
The stability difference affects every aspect of your daily life. With traditional dentures, you must avoid certain foods and constantly worry about slipping or clicking. Secure Smile implants allow you to eat whatever you want without restriction, speak clearly without worrying about denture movement, and smile confidently knowing your teeth are permanently secured.
Bone Preservation and Long-Term Oral Health
When you lose teeth, your jawbone begins to deteriorate from a lack of stimulation. Traditional dentures actually accelerate this bone loss because they put pressure on your gums and underlying bone during chewing. Over time, this can create a sunken facial appearance and necessitate frequent denture adjustments or replacements.
Secure Smile implants preserve your jawbone by providing the same stimulation as natural tooth roots, thereby maintaining the health and integrity of your jawbone. This helps keep your facial structure and prevents bone loss that can lead to premature aging. The implants also support your remaining natural teeth by maintaining proper spacing and alignment.
Treatment Process and Timeline
The Secure Smile process involves several carefully planned stages to ensure optimal results. First is a consultation with Dr. Hafen, where he takes the time to get to know you and help you understand if a Secure Smile implant retained denture is right for you. During this consultation, we will also review financing and provide you with the forms for medical clearance from your PCP.
Once you have received your medical clearance, we will digitally scan your face and your teeth to start creating your new Secure Smile.
The day of surgery, you will need to have someone bring you and be able to stay with you afterwards. A medical anesthesiologist will monitor you throughout the entire procedure. Dr. Hafen will remove all remaining teeth and infection before placing the implants using 3D imaging and custom-made guides, ensuring the best possible outcome.
You will wake up to a new set of teeth! These will be your healing teeth that you will wear while waiting for your implants to fully fuse to your jawbone. Once your healing is complete, you will receive your final Secure Smile created from Zirconia and custom-made exactly for you.
Cost Considerations and Long-Term Value
Traditional dentures require ongoing expenses for adhesives, cleaning products, adjustments, and eventual replacements. Most dentures need replacement every five to seven years, and the bone loss they cause often necessitates more frequent adjustments and remakes.
Secure Smile implants represent a higher initial investment but provide better long-term value. Once placed, they require only regular oral hygiene and professional cleanings—the same care you would give natural teeth. The durability and permanence of implants eliminate the ongoing costs associated with denture maintenance and replacement.
Why Choose Secure Smile at Olympia Hills Family Dental
Dr. Hafen specializes in comprehensive Secure Smile treatment and has helped numerous patients transition from failing teeth or uncomfortable dentures to permanent implant solutions. Our practice focuses on building personal relationships with each patient while delivering advanced dental care in a comfortable and welcoming environment.
We understand choosing between dentures and implants is a significant decision that will affect your quality of life for years to come. Our team takes the time to explain your options thoroughly and help you understand the long-term benefits of each approach. We want you to make an informed decision that aligns with your goals and lifestyle. Ready to learn more about how Secure Smile implants can transform your smile and your life? Contact our team today at (210) 658-3131 to schedule your consultation and discover the difference that permanent, stable teeth make at Olympia Hills Family Dental.