Dental Implants – How Smoking and Nicotine Replacements Can Affect Them

Teeth implants can be very long lasting, but smokers and vapers should read on.

If you are thinking about having dental implants placed to replace a missing tooth or teeth, you have probably already done some research. Success rates, how natural they look and how they can restore both your smile and your confidence will have been things that you almost certainly will have come across. All of that is true, but there is another issue that is just as important, particularly if you smoke or use nicotine products.

Many smokers have successful implant treatment every year. Having said that, smoking is one of the biggest factors that can increase the risk of complications. Understanding why this is the case can help you decide whether they are right for you and also, to give your implants the best possible chance of lasting for many years.

Healing matters

Unlike a filling or a crown, a dental implant needs time to become part of your body. Once an  implant is placed into the jawbone, the surrounding bone slowly fuses with the implant in a process known as osseointegration. Without this bond, the implant won’t be able to integrate with the bone and could well fail. The healing process takes time, somewhere in the region of three months. It relies on healthy gums, good bone quality and a reliable blood supply. If any of those things are compromised, healing can take longer or become less predictable.

Why smoking causes issues

Most people know that smoking is bad for the lungs and heart, but the effects within the oral cavity are less well known by many people. Each cigarette smoked introduces thousands of chemicals into the body, many of which affect circulation. Blood vessels become narrower, meaning that less oxygen and fewer nutrients reach the tissues that are trying to heal after implant surgery. This includes the tiny blood vessels in the gum area too. The area of the procedure may still eventually heal, but delays increase the risk of infections such as inflammation. In some cases, this can also lead to bone loss which in turn, could cause the implant to fail.

Not just cigarettes

Over the last few years, more patients have swapped cigarettes for vaping, often believing it is completely safe from a dental perspective. While vaping generally removes many of the harmful substances found in tobacco smoke, most vape liquids still contain nicotine. That matters because nicotine in itself is harmful for oral health as it is one of the main reasons that blood vessels narrow and slow down the supply of blood for healing purposes.

Although research into vaping and dental implants is still in its relatively early stages, many dentists recommend avoiding vaping during the healing period for exactly the same reason they advise patients to avoid smoking. There is still much to learn about the long-term effects, but at the moment it makes sense to be cautious.

Nicotine patches and gum

Using nicotine patches has helped thousands of people to stop smoking. From a general health perspective it is undoubtedly a better option than continuing to smoke cigarettes. Even without tobacco smoke though, the nicotine will still narrow blood vessels and potentially cause issues. This doesn’t necessarily mean that patches or gum should be stopped altogether. It does mean though, that you should discuss this with our Canterbury implant dentist to find a suitable way forward to help you have dental implants placed.

Are implants a ‘no go’ if you smoke?

The good news is that this is not necessarily the case. What smoking does mean is that extra care may be needed. We may spend more time assessing the health of your gums, checking the amount of available bone and discussing ways of improving healing before treatment begins.

Sometimes the advice is simply to stop smoking for a few weeks before surgery and continue to avoid it while everything heals. Even that short break can make a worthwhile difference. It should be remembered though that as well as smoking being generally harmful to your health, it is also a significant factor in gum disease, one of the biggest threats to a dental implant. Both periodontitis and peri-implantitis can cause a dental implant to fail. This is why careful planning is needed and for patients of the Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic to have a clear understanding of this issue and the risks.

Ongoing care

In addition to stopping smoking being highly beneficial for your new implant, regular good quality care should be taken as well. Regular brushing, flossing or other interdental cleaning are all important, as are visits to the dental hygienist to keep your mouth as healthy as possible and to give your dental implant the best chance of longevity. This is especially important if you do return to smoking once the implant osseointegration process is fully completed.

If you currently smoke or use nicotine replacement products and have been considering having dental implants, don’t be deterred and come and talk to our implant team. We will do what we can to help you and discuss the best way forward. You can book an appointment at our Canterbury clinic by calling the Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant team on 01227 463529.