When it comes to rebuilding smiles, few options are as incredible as dental implants; they’re well known for being able to restore pearly whites in terms of look, feel and functionality! But as great as they are, they unfortunately aren’t a viable option for everyone—if you’re a smoker, you might want to think about kicking the habit before committing to dental implants! Keep reading to learn a little more about how dental implants and smoking aren’t a good combination, along with some tips for ensuring that your future implants last for many years to come.
How Can Smoking Jeopardize My Dental Implants?
It’s pretty well-known that smoking cigarettes is notoriously bad for you in several ways—the habit can lead to a slew of health issues that affect your body and smile alike, including tooth loss, gum disease, and even oral cancer.
However, the primary issue with smoking that can directly endanger your implants is the impact the habit has on your mouth’s ability to heal. Since the dental implant process relies heavily on the success of osseointegration (the fusion between the implants and your jawbone), your implants might not properly bond with the bone matter if you continue to smoke with dental implants. Not to mention, smoking also leaves the implant sites extra-vulnerable to infection.
However, once your implant sites have healed and your posts have properly bonded with your jawbone, smoking still isn’t advisable. One study that compared implants in the mouths of smokers and non-smokers found that smoking slightly increased the annual rate of bone loss around the implants, which can continue to compound over time. In fact, patients who smoke after healing from their procedures are approximately twice as likely to experience implant failure!
How Can I Prevent Dental Implant Failure?
Of course, one of the best precautions you can take to avoid dental implant failure is to simply never smoke or quit if you already do. That said, you should also consider the following:
- Limit your consumption of sugary and acidic items and maintain a healthier diet in order to promote better oral health.
- Drink plenty of water—it’s by far the best beverage for your oral health.
- Quit other unhealthy oral habits like nail-biting, chewing on ice, or using your teeth as tools.
- Maintain an excellent at-home oral hygiene routine by brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and regularly using an antibacterial mouthwash.
- Visit your dentist for biannual preventive care; they can inspect your implants and make sure there aren’t any underlying issues that might compromise their integrity.
If you care about your smile and your livelihood and are determined to get dental implants, don’t let a habit like smoking stand in your way. Opting to replace your missing teeth with implants will vastly improve your life and bring you more joy than a cigarette ever will!
About the Practice
Here at University Dental Group, we take pride in serving the dental needs of the Worcester community! We’re thrilled to offer a wide range of preventive, cosmetic, and restorative treatment options including dental implants. If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to schedule a consultation to see if dental implants are a viable solution for your smile, feel free to contact us online or by phone for additional assistance: (508) 753-1911.