Tooth loss can detract from your daily quality of life in several ways. For instance, many patients struggle to enunciate certain words, alter their dietary habits, or struggle with the changes to their appearance.
Your dentist can close the gaps in your grin with dental implants, but if you smoke regularly, you might wonder whether you’re a good candidate for the procedure. Continue reading to learn more about why it’s best to leave this unhealthy habit behind you to rebuild your smile!
How Do Dental Implants Work?
Dental implants are the only replacement teeth that involve surgically embedding a titanium rod into your jawbone to function like a root. That means you must have a sufficiently thick jawbone to support the metal support pole. If you don’t, you might require an additional bone graft procedure before you can continue.
Once your restoration is placed, it takes three to six months to mend because your mouth must produce enough new bone growth to fuse with the biocompatible material. Once this process of osseointegration is complete, your dentist can place a customized dental crown that is designed to resemble your natural teeth.
How Does Smoking Affect My Oral Health?
If you regularly smoke vapes or cigarettes, you likely already know they can be incredibly harmful to your oral and overall well-being. Tobacco products contain nicotine, which is a vasoconstrictor that limits your blood oxygen levels and flow. This, in turn, renders your body unable to deliver essential nutrients to your teeth and gums, thereby compromising their strength.
Furthermore, nicotine also suppresses your immune system, hindering your ability to send infection-fighting cells to your mouth. This dramatically increases the risk of dental problems like cavities, gum disease, and even oral cancers.
Can I Get Dental Implants if I Smoke?
It’s natural to worry that your smoking habit might preclude you from getting dental implants. There’s a good chance that your dentist will recommend that you quit at least two weeks before your procedure to increase the likelihood of a successful recovery afterward.
Then, they’ll provide instructions on when you might be able to resume smoking; for instance, you might be instructed to wait a few weeks to a couple of months, depending on how quickly you recover.
However, smoking tobacco products is known to contribute to implant failure even years after their successful placement, so it’s better for your oral health to quit permanently if you can!
Meet the Author
Dr. Jayme Glamm is passionate about helping families in Columbus build and maintain beautiful, healthy smiles. She earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry before completing a General Practice Residency at the prestigious University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. Today, she offers a complete menu of services to meet all your needs at one convenient location, including dental implants. She partners with local experts to ensure accurate implant placement, then provides a lifelike restoration to rebuild your grin. You can request an appointment on the website or call (614) 487-0112.