Dental implants can take a while to complete, depending on the type you get. Once they're finished and the permanent crown has been installed, you can finally rest easy that the procedure is done and you can once again have a full set of teeth. Except you're not done; now you have to get used to those teeth. 

The addition of even one implanted replacement tooth can make your daily life change quite a bit, and you may have to get used to doing very normal things somewhat differently. This is because you are used to either having no tooth or having something like dentures in place of a tooth. Now that you have something in that space that isn't prone to moving around, you'll find you have to adjust in ways you didn't expect.

How to Talk Again

You might have to get used to talking again. Yes, of course, you could talk before the implant procedure, and you can talk now, after it. But the addition of that implant that isn't at risk of popping out like a set of dentures could, can change how you articulate sounds. Your bite will feel different for a while, and you may find your mouth feels odd at first. You will get used to speaking with the dental implants soon; just don't be surprised if you have to stop and start a bit or speak more slowly at first.

Your Face Shape

One implant might not do much to your face shape. But if you've worn a full set of dentures or had several teeth missing, and now you've got implants in place of all of those gaps and dentures, you may find your cheeks look fuller, your lips are slightly pushed out, and your lower jaw rests at a slightly lower angle. All of that depends on how many teeth you had implanted. It's simply because, without teeth to hold the skin of your lower face in a certain position, the skin can sink in and down. Now that you've got implants, your face won't appear as sunken.

Chewing With the Implant

Chewing with the implant can be an adventure. You should avoid chewing on that side for a while after the procedure; your dentist will let you know for how long. But once you can start chewing on the side of your mouth where you got the implant, you'll find you can chew more foods more easily than you could before with just dentures or gaps. It may be a bit shocking at first. But of course, you'll get used to it. Just remember not to chew things that are very hard, like ice, as those can crack dental crowns.