The Impacts Of Smoking On Our Oral Health
It’s crazy to think that not so many years ago some doctors would recommend that their patients took up smoking in order to combat stress. These days, we all recognise that this probably isn’t a successful strategy. Even the most hardened of smokers now understand the damage that they’re doing to their bodies, but what about their oral health? Can it affect the efficiency of modern day tooth replacement such as dental implants? In Richmond, here at Sheen Dental we’ve been fitting implants for many years and the truth is that we always strongly advise our patients not to smoke; and what’s more, for anyone seeking dental implant surgery, we actually insist upon it.
Clearly this isn’t simply a moral stance but instead it’s a proven fact that anyone who decides to smoke during the implant process is likely to decrease their chance of success considerably.
So why is smoking so damaging to dental implants?
In essence there are actually a number of factors that smoking can have on a newly placed implant, the first being the risk it places on the osseointegration process. For any implant procedure to be a success it relies on a process of bone fusion (osseointegration). Once the titanium post has been anchored into the jaw bone, the surrounding bone tissue fuses with it naturally over time creating a super-strong platform. In most non-smokers you’d expect this process to occur within 2-4 months. However in smokers, substances found in tobacco smoke (thought to be nicotine) restrict the blood flow to the area which can delay the process considerably. When this happens it means that the area is way more susceptible to infections which may in turn damage the area around the newly placed implant causing it to fail. What’s more, smokers are all known to be prone to gingivitis, which if not treated can turn into gum disease, which can in turn attack the implant.
So the all important question is “Are smokers eligible for dental implants in Richmond?” In a word yes! However to ensure the very best chance of implant success they need to be committed to quitting. If this isn’t possible then at the very least a smoker needs to be fully prepared to give up for a few months while the implant is fitted and the osseointegration process has occurred.
If you want to find out more about how smoking affects a dental implant in Richmond then take a look at our website at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk. In addition you can also talk to Dr Harmit Kalsi and the team directly by contacting us on 020 8876 5277. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation, where you can get all your questions and concerns answered, leaving you to make an informed dental decision about your future.