For many individuals who have one or more missing teeth, dental implants can often provide an exceptional, long-lasting solution. Anchored in the jawbone like a natural root, this innovative restoration can be fixed with a customized crown that matches the shape and color of surrounding teeth, restoring both the form and function of one’s smile while helping to prevent the potential consequences of tooth loss.
To fully benefit from dental implants, patients need to first meet a few specific candidacy requirements, one of which is being a non-smoker. The reason that restraint from smoking is a prerequisite to receiving dental implants is due to an increased implant failure rate among individuals who smoke. In fact, according to a study that followed the progress of 66 dental implant patients over the course of five years, the implant failure rate for smokers and non-smokers was 15.8% and 1.4%, respectively. Additional studies suggest that smoking can also delay healing, increase the potential for infection, and possibly even promote bone loss around the implant(s).
For individuals who are interested in dental implants but currently smoke, our experienced dentist—Dr. Colin Morton—recommends quitting at least one month before the procedure, ideally with no intention of resuming the habit later in time. By doing so, the opportunity for successful short and long-term dental implant results can be significantly increased.
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