Tobacco & Tooth Restoration: Can You Get Dental Implants If You Smoke?

If you’re like most, you already know that smoking is a major health hazard. Using tobacco drastically increases your risk of cancer, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes – the list goes on and on. With that said, you might wonder: Can you get dental implants if you smoke? Your La Porte dentist takes these posts seriously, so you’ll find a detailed answer below. Just keep reading to discover why dental implant placement isn’t a smart move for chronic smokers.

Context: How Dental Implants Work

To know how smoking affects dental implants, you’ll need to learn details about the posts. You won’t have the appropriate context otherwise.

What you most need to grasp is how dental implants work. Unlike dentures or dental bridges, these prosthetics don’t just sit on your gums; they fuse with your jaw tissue. This process of “osseointegration” ensures the posts won’t ever slip or fall from your mouth. That way, your implants will be secure and permanent parts of your mouth from now on.

Given the fusion involved, dental implants require healthy gum and jaw tissues. You should thus consult your dentist about whether you’re a good candidate.

Don’t Smoke Before & After Placement

With the background covered, here’s the main point: you shouldn’t smoke right before or after implant surgery. The habit would ruin your treatment results.

It comes down to how implants fuse with your jawbone. Tobacco causes gum disease that destroys jaw tissues, so smoking before surgery would make your final posts unstable. Too many cigarettes and the like would also delay your treatment recovery, increasing the risk of implant failure. Their ingredients would disrupt the implant fusion and cause various long-term issues.

All that said, you should quit smoking at least a week before surgery. Avoid tobacco products for the initial 90 days after treatment as well.

Is It Okay to Smoke *with* Dental Implants?

No dentist would actively encourage you to smoke tobacco. Still, the fact remains that you could smoke while having successful dental implants.

Once your posts have successfully fused, smoking isn’t as threatening to them. It isn’t as likely to cause the infections that result in immediate treatment failure. However, be warned; smoking still elevates your risk of bone loss near your posts. This effect can ruin your treatment results if left unchecked, so you should give up tobacco as soon as possible.

Since you can’t get dental implants if you smoke, don’t hesitate to make your decision. Quit using tobacco so you can quickly restore your smile!

About the Practice

Region Dental is based in La Porte, IN. Led by Drs. Berquist and Ornelas, our practice is always ready and eager to provide the comprehensive dentistry you need. We thus offer preventive, cosmetic, and even restorative treatments, and every service is tailored to your unique smile. Our office even works with local specialists to place dental implants! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (219)-362-8980.