Are you a smoker who is considering getting dental implants to replace your missing teeth? Although dentists don’t consider smoking tobacco as an absolute contraindication, your dentist will encourage you to stop the habit.
Your Smoking History
Before you get your dental implants here in Townsville, your dentist will ask about your smoking history. The doctor will be interested in facts such as the duration, intensity and present status of your smoking.
How long you have smoked and how many cigarettes or cigars you have been smoking may determine when to commence your implant treatment. Here are some ways smoking may affect both the surgical process related to implants and dental implantation.
1.Smoking and Delayed Healing After Implantation
Smoking has adverse effects on both general and oral health of a person. It adversely affects the outcome of implant placement and many other therapeutic procedures done in the mouth. Smokers are at an increased chance of risk of infection after surgery.
People who smoke may also heal more slowly than non-smokers. To increase dental implant survival in people who smoke, it is recommended to stop the habit at least a week before to up to two months after placement.
2. Smoking and Gum Disease
Gum disease happens when an infection destroys the bone that surrounds and support the teeth. The infection starts when dental plaque and calculus irritates the gums around your teeth. Smoking causes mouth dryness and negatively impacts the flow of blood in the mouth.
It reduces oxygen supply in the bloodstream leading to poor healing of infected gums. Smoking also causes periodontal disease to advance faster than in people who don’t smoke. Due to the inhibited blood supply to the gums, smokers usually don’t experience bleeding gums.
The disease is then often masked in the smoker’s mouth. Consequently, people who smoke are more prone to serious gum disease.
Improving Success of Dental Implants
While dental implants, unlike natural teeth, are immune to decay, the health of your gums is crucial. Healthy gums help maintain lasting dental implant success. Your implants are, therefore, likely to last much longer if you quit smoking and keep a healthy mouth.
Staining Effects of Tobacco
One reason why dental implants are so popular is that they look almost like natural teeth. When building your dental implants, your dentist will carefully choose the colour, shape, and size of the implants to ensure they closely resemble your natural teeth.
However, natural teeth are not as stain-resistant as dental implants. Smoking may darken the teeth faster than implants. Your implanted teeth may consequently appear whiter than the teeth surrounding them.
Almost anyone looking to replace missing teeth is a candidate for dental implants. Still, dental implants need surgery. Accordingly, patients should be in good health, possess healthy gums and have sufficient bone to support dental implants.
Patients must also be committed to oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist. If you’re considering implants, talk to your dentist or prosthodontist to see if you’re a good candidate.
