Dental Implant is one of the highly recommend dental treatment if you are missing teeth. It not only offers you the look and feel of the original teeth, but it also functions as good as the natural teeth. However, if you are missing teeth, and have considered dental implants as a treatment to restore your smile, then please read this blog before you proceed. There is one lifestyle habit that is a deal breaker if you want to have successful dental implants.
Smoking not only affects your oral health, but also have adverse effects on our overall health. But, if you are considering dental implants to restore your smile, then be cautious, as smoking can drastically increase your chances for dental implant failure. Dental implants carry a 95% success rate, but within the small percentage of implants that fail, over half belong to those who smoke.
Here’s How Smoking Adversely Implants the Dental Implants
Smoking can lead to oral cancer; hence, whether you are considering dental implants or not, you should quit smoking asap. It leads to some most common dental problems such as bad breath, tooth stains, gum disease and plenty of other dental problems. However, when it comes to dental implant surgery, the consequences are even more severe. Smoking can lead to below mentioned consequences in someone who is considering dental implants:
1. Severe Damage to Skin Cells – When you smoke cigarettes, you potentially burn and/or thicken the surface of the delicate skin cells inside the mouth.
2. Excess of Dry Mouth – Cigarette smoking also contributes to dry mouth because the salivary glands can become damaged over time. And, as you know, dry mouth offers the best environment for the bacteria to grow and breed. Further, these bacteria become more vulnerable to infection and decay.
3. Obstructs Blood Flow and Natural Oral Healing Abilities – The biggest risk of
smoking and dental implants is rooted in the fact that nicotine is a vasoconstrictor. It limits the flow of blood that nourishes the gums and teeth. Hence, when gums and teeth are deprived of nourishments, they lose their natural ability to heal automatically and cannot fight against the infection and bacteria. This becomes a real problem for a newly placed dental implant, as the healing of the titanium post within the gum tissue and bone is the most crucial step of the implant process. Cigarette smoking can essentially slow healing while increasing the risk of infection and implant failure.
Quit Smoking for Healthy Smile
If you regularly smoking cigarette, then it is advisable to quit smoking for the overall goodness of your health. However, if you are getting dental implants, then it is mandatory you quit it asap. Put an end to your nicotine habit a week before your implant surgery and up to two weeks following the procedure to protect your healing and recovery.
If you are missing a tooth or teeth, and are considering dental implants, then it is advisable to contact a cosmetic and restorative dentist at SmilePerfectors in Tysons Corner. At SmilePerfectors, we offer all the dental treatments under one roof – from root canal to dentures and from TMJ treatment to dental implants. For a dental consultation, please dial 703-356-1200 or visit our official website at https://smileperfectors.com.
