We all know that cigarette smoking is bad for our overall health. So, it’s obvious that smoking can adversely impact your dental implants in Albuquerque NM. Toxic substances from cigarettes such as carbon monoxide, nicotine, and hydrogen cyanide interfere with the healing process, and reduce the chances of the treatment’s success by many folds. In fact, most dental implant complications were found amongst those who continued to smoke.

6 Ways Smoking Affects the Dental Implants Treatment:

Here are the common problems caused by smoking, and how it can affect your dental implants in Albuquerque NM:

• Studies suggest that the chances of implant failure in smokers is twice as high as that of nonsmokers.
• Smoke from cigarettes in the mouth will affect the salivary glands and increases the chance of gum disease. This will not only result in tooth loss, but also in the deterioration of your jaw bone.
• Smokers also face a high risk of developing peri-implantitis. It refers to the inflammation of the bone and gums around the implant surgical site. When left untreated, peri-implantitis will reduce the success of your implant.
• For patients who don’t have sufficient bone density to support dental implants, a cosmetic dentist in Albuquerque will recommend what is known as Bone Grafting. Once this procedure is done, your jaw bone will start healing and bone density will improve. However, Smoking will significantly reduce the success rate of bone grafts, and can possibly make you ineligible to receive dental implants.
• Smokers getting the dental implants treatment are more vulnerable to bacterial infections.
• Nicotine in cigarette smoke will slow down healing of your mouth by reducing the blood flow to the soft tissues.

How to Make Dental Implants Successful?

The obvious thing to do first is avoid smoking in the few weeks leading up to the dental implants surgery. To reduce any risk of complications, and to prepare your body for the treatment, refraining from smoking is the only way to go. Nicotine in cigarettes will raise your heartbeat and blood pressure, thus making it hard for your lungs and heart to receive the oxygen required. This, in turn impacts your overall treatment.

Furthermore, stay away from smoking for at least eight weeks AFTER the surgery. The success of your dental implants is determined by a process called osseointegration, which is the fusion of an implant with the jawbone. If you avoid smoking, it becomes easier for the titanium implants to properly fuse with the bone.

Following proper dental hygiene practices is equally important to make your dental implants procedure successful and extend its life. Also follow a healthy soft diet plan during recovery, for effective healing. Regular checkups with a dentist in Albuquerque NM will be useful in analyzing the progress of your recovery. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact a professional.