Smoking and tobacco have a significant impact on our teeth and will cause harm to dental implants. Whether you are considering dental implants or already have them, you need to consider the negative effects that smoking will have on them. Smoking causes certain responses in our bodies, and these will affect both your oral health and dental implant. Ideally, it’s best to kick this terrible habit, but there are other alternatives you can consider to help with your dental implants if you decide to continue smoking.
The first step is to understand how smoking affects dental implants. You need to be aware of the fact that tobacco causes changes to your blood flow and reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to your bone and gums. This will make it difficult for your body to heal or to create strong bone around your dental implant because lower levels of oxygen will reduce your body’s ability to do these things successfully. Tobacco will also weaken your body’s immune response to pathogens, which can lead to issues like gum disease and tooth loss. Such pathogens may also affect dental implants because they can increase the chances of complications and cause lower success rates, so this is something smokers need to keep in mind.
In order for dental implants to be successful, daily care, oxygen, and a strong immune system are a must. These are essential because they will create a healthy foundation for the implants within your bone and gums. There are cells in your bone that provide nutrients and oxygen for the dental implant, and without these, your body will be unable to accept the implant. For these reasons, it is best to quit this nasty habit as this step will drastically improve the quality of your life, and your overall health will improve significantly, so you will feel happier as a result.
While quitting is the best solution, it’s easier said than done, and it can be very hard to do because tobacco is very addicting, so it can take a long time to stop smoking. If you are having difficulty or are just not ready to quit, there are other options you can consider, and the first is to stop smoking for two weeks before your implant surgery. This will help clear the nicotine from your system and will allow improved blood flow and oxygen to your bones. It’s also best that you stop smoking for an additional eight weeks following your implant surgery so that your bone cells can accept the dental implant. This will also improve your immune system’s ability to fight off pathogens, so you need to take these measures if you want your dental implant to be successful.
Here at Anabella Dental, we will discuss the risks of smoking in more detail and will provide you with additional information. If you are interested in dental implants and have questions regarding the treatment process, contact us today!