There are many habits among the general populace that are working against your oral health. One of the least secretive of these bad habits is smoking. Not only does smoking result in severe discoloration and bad breath, but smoking can also increase the likelihood of your developing conditions such as tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer. Not only can smoking interfere with your ability to treat missing teeth with dental implants, but it can also affect your teeth to the point where they will need to be removed, leaving you with even more teeth you may not be able to restore using dental implants. Today, Dr. Andre Hughes is blogging from Toronto, ON to talk about smoking and how it can affect your dental implant treatment.
What sets dental implants apart from other tooth restoration treatments is the fact that, during the implant procedure, we place a metal implant fixture in the place of your missing tooth root. As it heals, this implant fixture is assimilated into your jaw structure through a process called osseointegration. If successful, your dental implant will become a permanent piece of your oral anatomy. However, every now and then, this process is interrupted by the inflammation of the tissues directly around your implant fixture. This condition is called peri-implantitis, and it is a condition common to smokers that can result in the rejection of your dental implant.
Smoking can have many different effects on your oral health. For instance, smoking actually slows the circulation of blood throughout your body, which can make it much more difficult for your body to heal itself. It is also true that the nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco based products can damage vital tissues that make up your jaw, teeth, gums, and facial muscles. In fact, this damage can actually hurt your teeth, resulting in further tooth loss. This will leave you with even more missing teeth that you may not be able to treat with dental implants due to your habit.
One last effect smoking can have on your health is the fact that it can increase the rate at which your jawbone deteriorates, which is a negative aspect of missing teeth. And, when your jawbone deteriorates too far, it can have an effect on your facial appearance. One such facial effect of smoking is the fact that your face can appear hollow, resulting in a sunken appearance. It is also likely that the skin directly around your mouth will prematurely wrinkle. People suffering from extensive jawbone deterioration tend to be described as appearing aged or unhealthy.
While we have had plenty of success placing dental implants in patients who smoke, the simple fact is that the chances of your treatment failing are much higher if you do partake in the habit. If you would like to learn more about how smoking can affect the dental implant process, then we encourage you to contact our office and schedule a no-obligation consultation with Dr. Andre Hughes today.
Dr. Andre Hughes
745 Bloor St. West
Toronto, ON M6G 1L6
New Patients:
647-792-5805
Current Patients:
416-531-5796
Monday: 10AM – 7PM
Tuesday: 10AM – 7PM
Wednesday: 10AM – 7PM
Thursday: 10AM – 7PM
Friday: Closed
Saturday: 9AM – 3PM
Sunday: Closed