Why smoking may put your dental implants at risk

For most people, the adverse effects of smoking are well known. People who smoke suffer from an increased risk of health complications, including lung cancer and heart disease. In addition, smoking may lead to the failure of dental implants. With today’s blog, your implant dentists in King of Prussia discuss why smoking may put your dental implants at risk when receiving tooth replacements.

The Effects of Smoking on Your Dental Health
When you smoke, you hinder both the appearance and the health of your smile. Patients may develop bad breath and teeth stains from frequent smoking. Over time, smoking may lead to the onset of gum disease, oral cancer, and even the loss of jawbone tissue. Quitting smoking can protect the beauty, health, and stability of your smile.

Smoking and Dental Implants
The integrity of your dental implant depends on the ability of the implant post to bond with the surrounding bone tissue. Also known as osseointegration, this process keeps your implants sturdy and long lasting. When you smoke, you expose your gum tissue to nicotine, hydrogen cyanide, and carbon monoxide. These toxic chemicals interfere with the healing process following the placement of the titanium implant post. As a result, your implant may fail.

Regular smoking also dramatically increases your chances of developing periodontal disease. Gum disease can dissolve the connective tissue between your teeth and gums. This often causes loosened teeth and, without treatment, tooth loss. Since your implant depends on the strength of these same connective tissues, your restoration can fail.

Finally, smoking can lead to bone loss. Losing bone tissue means a bone graft may be necessary to place an implant. Unfortunately, the compromised healing abilities of your bone tissue as a result of smoking may prevent the procedure from working, once again standing between you and a restored smile.

For all of these reasons, you now may understand Why smoking may put your dental implants at risk.

Smoking Is Not Alone

Not everyone is a good candidate for dental implant procedures. There are a few conditions that can disqualify patients from receiving this treatment. To learn more about dental implants and problems with patient candidacy, click here.

Schedule a Visit with Your Philadelphia Implant Dentists
For a patient with one or more missing teeth, dental implants can improve the health and appearance of your smile. Interested in learning more about the implant process? Then schedule a free dental consultation and X-ray today by calling your Philadelphia implant dentists at 484-231-1177. At By Design Dental, we provide affordable and convenient dental implants, employing the latest in implant technology to restore your smile to full function and appearance. We look forward to seeing you soon at our office located at The Atrium, 234 Mall Blvd., Suite 180, King of Prussia, PA 19406.