Smoking and Dental Implants Don’t Mix
At Renaissance Dental Care, our Rancho Cucamonga, CA, implant provider, Dr. Jay Stockdale, provides dental implants to patients looking for a permanent tooth replacement. Dental implants are metal posts surgically inserted into the jawbone to replace lost natural teeth. However, smoking negatively affects the success of dental implants at all stages. Read on to learn how smoking affects your implant journey and why you should stop smoking.
Smoking’s Effects on Implant Placement Surgery
Smoking increases risks during the actual implant placement surgery.
- Smokers are more prone to post-operative complications like infections around the implant site or in the gums.
- Smoking also delays the initial healing process, increasing the time it takes for the bone and soft tissues to mend after implant surgery.
- The typical osseointegration period when the implant fuses to bone is prolonged in smokers. This means a higher chance the implant doesn’t properly integrate and fails.
Smoking Cessation Before Implant Surgery
Because of these surgical risks, dental implant providers like Dr. Stockdale advise patients to quit smoking at least two months before implant treatment. Quitting smoking improves the odds of uncomplicated healing, quicker osseointegration, and overall implant success. Patients should discuss smoking cessation options like nicotine patches or gum, prescription medications, counseling, and support programs.
Smoking Reduces Blood Flow to Implant Site
Nicotine causes vasoconstriction, which narrows blood vessels, limiting blood supply and oxygen delivery to the surgical site. This delays the transport of nutrients required for proper healing. Reduced blood flow also impacts the immune system’s ability to deliver infection-fighting cells to the implant location.
Smoking Impairs Healing After Surgery
Smoking negatively affects the activity of immune cells and fibroblasts, which play key roles in the inflammation and collagen synthesis stages of healing. This hampers the mending of the implant site. Cigarette smoke can also reduce the production of growth factors essential for new tissue formation around the implant.
Tobacco Smoke is Harmful to Bone Cells
The various chemicals in tobacco smoke are toxic to osteoblasts and osteoclasts. These specialized bone cells are needed for osseointegration and bone remodeling around the implant. The toxins interfere with the cells’ ability to generate and stimulate bone growth on the implant surface.
Smoking Increases Risk of Infections After Surgery
By suppressing immune function, smoking raises the risk of post-surgical infections, which can damage the implant site and surrounding tissues. Infections are a leading cause of early implant failure and complications. Smoking has been directly linked to higher rates of implant infections.
Osseointegration Takes Longer in Smokers
Smoking’s effects on blood flow, healing, and bone cell health delay the osseointegration process. It can take three to six months instead of the typical two to four months for non-smokers. This puts smokers at greater risk of improper fusion between the implant and bone, resulting in implant failure.
Long-Term Effects of Smoking on Dental Implants
Smoking increases the long-term risk of dental implant failure and complications years after the initial placement surgery. Research shows smokers have higher rates of implant loss and issues like peri-implantitis, an inflammatory infection that damages the tissues surrounding the implant.
Smoking has also been associated with greater progressive loss of bone around dental implants over time. The bone remodeling process becomes impaired, leading to diminishing bone levels that can undermine implant stability.
Additionally, smokers are more prone to developing peri-implant mucositis. Peri-implant mucositis involves inflammation of the gums around the implant, which can advance to peri-implantitis if left untreated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is occasional or social smoking okay before implant surgery?
No, any level of smoking, even occasional or social, can increase the risks of surgical complications and implant failure, so patients should completely abstain from smoking before treatment.
I've been smoking for many years. Do I still have risks even if I quit before implants?
While quitting smoking at any time provides health benefits, long-term smokers may still have slightly elevated risks of implant failure due to accumulated damage from tobacco use over the years.
How soon after implant surgery can I resume smoking?
It’s best to completely refrain from smoking for at least two to three months after implant surgery to allow proper healing and osseointegration; patients should consult their dentist before resuming tobacco use.
Do e-cigarettes or vaping affect dental implants like traditional cigarettes?
Yes, e-cigarettes and vaping pose similar risks to the success of dental implants due to the presence of nicotine and other chemicals. Patients should abstain from tobacco products.
Take Control of Your Implant Success
If you’re considering dental implants, it’s crucial to avoid tobacco use for optimal surgical outcomes and long-term implant health. Contact Renaissance Dental Care at (909) 297-1921 for a consultation to learn more about dental implants.
You can also book your appointment online, and our team will get back to you promptly. We’re proud to serve new and returning patients in Riverside, San Bernardino, and Diamond Bar, CA. We look forward to fixing your smile and boosting your confidence!