I’ve heard that dental implants are the best choice to replace missing teeth. But my dentist told me to quit smoking. Is this just the usual, “it’s bad for me,” speech or will smoking exclude me from being a dental implant candidate? I have smoked for 40 years. So, quitting might actually kill me instead. Ha!
-Leonard in Illinois
Leonard,
As your dentist mentioned, dental implants are the best solution to replace missing teeth because they look, feel and function just like your normal teeth. However, there are other options to replace teeth. They just don’t have as many benefits.
A partial denture is an option that is removable. It does limit your ability to eat certain foods. And it doesn’t provide the best comfort either. A partial denture uses metal clasps to snap in place to surrounding teeth. But, they function better and stay in place better than complete dentures.
But if you need all of the teeth replaced on an arch, an implant overdenture may be an option for you. It uses dental implants that are anchored to your jawbone to secure it. It won’t move around and provides a more comfortable experience over the long run. The more dental implants that are incorporated into treatment means the more secure and better functioning it will be.
Dental Implant Risks for Smokers
Smoking does increase the risk for dental implant failure. So that’s why your dentist is telling you to quit. It’s more than the typical, “it’s bad for your health” talk. Here are the issues associated with it.
- Nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict, which reduces blood flow. This means your oral tissues may not get the oxygen needed to support dental implants.
- Slows healing time. When the dental implant is placed into your jawbone, there is a healing period that takes several months, which is called osseointegration. It is imperative that this takes place because it is when the bone fuses with the dental implant. If the blood flow is reduced due to smoking, the bond may be weakened and it will take longer to heal. In some cases, the bond not ever be successful, which will result in a failed dental implant.
- Smoking also increases the risk for gum disease. You have likely heard that nicotine can cause inflammation and irritated gums. This is mostly from the increased presence of plaque and bacteria in the mouth that is more common in patients that smoke. When a patient suffers from gum disease, the gums pull away from the teeth leaving pockets for bacteria to thrive. The risk for infection is also greater, which means the dental implant may be at an increased risk of failure.
- Smoking can compromise your overall immune system. This is a problem because the risk for infection after the dental implant surgery takes placed is increased.
Are There Options for Smokers?
If quitting smoking isn’t a possibility, you can still move forward with dental implants. But, you need to fully understand the risks. Also, many dentists will refuse to place dental implants in smokers. So, you’ll need to find a dentist that will be willing to move forward, knowing the risks associated with failure.
If infection or failure occurs, you will need to have them removed. Then, after the area has healed there is a chance the process could begin again. But, it could be several months.
Ultimately, quitting smoking is ideal. In the meantime, you may want to consider a removable partial denture until you are able to quit. If you cannot quite, a dental bridge, partial denture or complete dentures are other options.
Rick Lane is a dentist in Petaluma that provided solutions for patients with missing teeth.
