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How fortunate we are to live in a time when losing one’s teeth doesn’t have to mean withdrawing from social life. Evolving dental technology means everyone can have the smile they deserve. Just pause for a moment and ponder this fact. If you have lost all or some of your teeth for whatever reason, there is a viable replacement for you. Not just a replacement to restore your ability to eat and remain nourished, but a convincing alternative which restores the all-important social function of nonverbal communication. So, dentures are much more than an aid enabling a person without teeth to eat. Dentures are tools that restore a fundamental communication system and therefore inclusion in society.
The silent language we are all speaking
Imagine for a moment you are meeting your potential in-laws for the first time. They seem warm enough during introduction, saying all the right things, but one parent directs a closed-mouth smile your way. Although nothing unpleasant is said, you can’t help feeling a little put off, wondering if you haven’t made the right impression.
Words aren’t the only way we humans communicate. We are hard-wired to read nonverbal cues like body language, facial expressions, and vocal tone within milliseconds, sometimes without even being conscious of doing it.i
Why does this matter?
The ability to read nonverbal social cues like facial expressions matters because it helps us assign meaning to our interpersonal relationships and find our place in wider society as expressive social beings. Three relevant and culturally universal relational aspects that can be established during nonverbal communication are dominance-submission, composure-nervousness and trust-distrust.ii
With that in mind, let’s return to meeting your potential in-laws. Making the right impression is important if these people are to become your family. But that tight-lipped smile made you nervous, made you lose some of your composure. Perhaps you read the expression on your loved one’s parent as one of distrust, of dismissal, when the simple truth might be, she is reluctant to smile because of her teeth - or lack of them. As you can see through this imagined scenario, a smile can have a cascading effect for both the giver and the receiver.
The smile giver
Poorly fitting dentures and edentulism (lack of teeth) can lead to a progressive retreat from interacting with others. Social interaction becomes awkward when people smile less freely or cover their mouths with their hands. A closed-lipped or guarded smile is judged by others as somehow less genuine, less trustworthy. However, for an edentulous person, it can also be a protective response to the psychological distress and reduced self-confidence caused by perceived inadequacies in appearance, difficulties in eating and problems with speech, that unfortunately reinforce social isolation.iii
While well-fitting dentures can restore a person’s appearance and clear speech, factors like denture comfort, stability, and aesthetic qualities can positively affect how the wearer’s confidence and their readiness to smile is perceived in a social situation, leading to a better quality of life.iv
On the physical level, well-fitting dentures restore the use of a full range of facial expressions allowing you to show genuine emotion in important interpersonal communication. When your denture is secure and stable you can not only smile easily but also speak clearly and eat without self- consciousness. Without the support of teeth or a denture, your face loses its structure, muscles lose form and become slack, making a full range of expressions more difficult. In addition, speech loses clarity and controlling food and drinks is harder. The face's structure changes, making it difficult to keep the lips sealed which increases the chance of drooling.
The smile receiver
I think we’ve all experienced it. A stranger smiles spontaneously at you on the street triggering an instant smile from you in response. It makes you feel good. This is called ‘mirroring’ or a ‘positive feedback loop’. Mirroring describes the echoing of another’s facial expressions or body language.v It strengthens self-confidence and physical resilience in both parties and promotes social connection by creating empathy.vi Smiling conveys trust and connection. After tooth loss, dentures restore your smile to its natural fullness, allowing you to bestow it upon others so that you both experience the benefits of the positive feedback. When people smile more freely, others respond more warmly. Warm smiles encourage more social engagement, improving mood and confidence.
The ripple effect
What’s not to like about smiling? It’s an expression that just keeps on giving. Research tells us that smiling is good for our health.vii The act of smiling releases mood-enhancing hormones and decreases stress- enhancing hormones. An additional bonus is smiling also lowers blood pressure and is linked to other factors that can help you live longer.viii
A genuine smile radiates like ripples on a pond to all who receive it, affecting everything from our health to our relationships. Consider a job interview. If you had to choose between a candidate who walked in with shoulders slumped and an expressionless face, and another candidate whose broad smile conveyed confidence and approachability, who would you choose? Or consider that first date where a genuine laugh and generous smile sparked a real connection. Think about what makes the best family photos. Surely, they’re the ones that capture unbridled and spontaneous joy rather than tight-lipped stares into the lens.
In conclusion
In this article, we have discussed an often overlooked, but crucial aspect of replacing missing teeth with well-fitting dentures – social connection. We have explored the ‘psychology of the smile’ and the important role dentures play in human interaction. Dentures don’t just replace teeth; they reacquaint people with a vital social instinct – connection with others. So, rather than a dental restoration, getting a denture offers a transformation, allowing wearers to laugh unselfconsciously, use a full range of non-verbal expressions, to stop stressing about their teeth and start being present in their relationships. Isn’t it about time you reclaimed that fundamental part of who you are? Talk to your dental prosthetist about getting the right dentures to restore your smile and the confidence to connect with others.
References
i Burgoon JK, Wang X, Chen X, Pentland SJ, Dunbar NE. Nonverbal Behaviors "Speak" Relational Messages of Dominance, Trust, and Composure. Front Psychol. 2021 Jan 26;12:624177. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.624177. PMID: 33574790; PMCID: PMC7870468.
ii Burgoon JK, Wang X, Chen X, Pentland SJ, Dunbar NE. Nonverbal Behaviors "Speak" Relational Messages of Dominance, Trust, and Composure. Front Psychol. 2021 Jan 26;12:624177. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.624177. PMID: 33574790; PMCID: PMC7870468.
iii A Razdan R, Srivastava R, Jaiswal T, Garg M, Chansoria H, Kala A. Psychological assessment in edentulous patients before and after complete denture. Bioinformation. 2025 Mar 31;21(3):504-508. doi:10.6026/973206300210504. PMID: 40599932; PMCID: PMC12208257.
iv A Razdan R, Srivastava R, Jaiswal T, Garg M, Chansoria H, Kala A. Psychological assessment in edentulous patients before and after complete denture. Bioinformation. 2025 Mar 31;21(3):504-508. doi:10.6026/973206300210504. PMID: 40599932; PMCID: PMC12208257.
v Paradisi P, Raglianti M, Sebastiani L. Online Communication and Body Language. Front Behav Neurosci. 2021 Sep 7;15:709365. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.709365. PMID: 34557076; PMCID: PMC8452979.
vi Paradisi P, Raglianti M, Sebastiani L. Online Communication and Body Language. Front Behav Neurosci. 2021 Sep 7;15:709365. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.709365. PMID: 34557076; PMCID: PMC8452979.
vii https://www.waldenu.edu/online-bachelors-programs/bs-in-psychology/resource/the-power-of- smiling
viii www.health.harvard.edu/blog/if-you-are-happy-and-you-know-it-you-may-live-longer-2019101618020
Disclaimer – Always consult your oral health professional for expert advice about your unique personal situation. The information given here is of a general nature and for the purpose of education only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your oral health specialist
