8 East Devon Ave., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007

Our Blog

Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Elk Grove Village IL

4 minutes read

Decrease Your Risk of Implant Failure by Quitting Smoking

Published by Brian Homann DDS

Smoking and Oral Health

We all know that tobacco use is harmful to just about every organ in the human body, and your teeth and gums are no exception. Tobacco in any form has an extremely negative affect on your oral health, and the common negative effects of smoking include:

  • Increased buildup of plaque and tartar
  • Discoloration and staining of teeth
  • Accelerated bone and tissue damage
  • Higher rates of tooth loss and edentulism (being partially or wholly toothless)
  • Inflamed salivary glands and other inflammation in the mouth
  • Greater risk of periodontal disease and oral cancer

Smoking and Oral Health

Smoking and Dental Implants

In addition to these overall effects on your oral health, smoking can also have an especially negative effect on dental implants. Therefore, if you are considering this procedure, there are a number of facts about how smoking can affect dental implants you need to know.

  • The implant failure rate for smokers is significantly higher than for non-smokers. Some studies have shown the likelihood of implant failure is as much as double.

  • Smokers receiving implants are much more susceptible to bacterial infections around the implant than non-smokers, a condition known clinically as peri-implantitis.

  • Bone grafts are sometimes needed for successful dental implant procedures, and smoking decreases the success rate of bone grafts.

  • The nicotine in tobacco smoke reduces blood flow to soft tissues, making it much more difficult for the mouth to heal properly.

  • Tobacco smoke damages the salivary glands, increasing both the risk of developing gum disease and loss of supporting bone.

Increasing Your Chances of Success

Planning a successful implant procedure begins long before the surgery, and if you’re a smoker, we strongly recommend that you take the following steps to help ensure a successful outcome.

  • Avoid smoking for at least two weeks before your procedure to minimize the risk of complications. Nicotine increases the heart rate and blood pressure, making it harder for the heart and lungs to get the oxygen they need.

  • Avoid smoking for at least eight weeks after surgery. Following your procedure, success depends on how well the implant fuses with your jawbone, a process called osseo-integration. Smoking while your mouth is healing may prevent the titanium post (the “root” of the implant) from fusing completely with your jawbone.

  • Practice meticulous oral hygiene following your dental implant restoration procedure. Many people don’t realize that dental implants require the same type of preventative care as natural teeth.

Dental Implants in Elk Grove Village, IL

Dental Implants in Elk Grove Village, IL

If you lose a tooth or teeth, the sooner the dentist performs an implant procedure, the greater the likelihood for a successful outcome. When teeth are lost, the remaining teeth will begin to shift over time, creating gaps and causing other complications. Bone loss can also occur, making it harder for the implant to integrate with your jawbone.

At the office of Brian Homann, DDS, we provide dental implants in Elk Grove Village, IL. We are dedicated to making sure that we work with our patients to help ensure successful outcomes. That is one reason we want to share this information with you on the harmful effects of smoking on implants.

If you’re considering dental implants, we urge you to contact the office of Brian Homann, DDS at 847-558-1222 to schedule your initial consultation. We are happy to answer any questions you may have so you can learn more about the benefits of dental implants.

Recent Posts

Our Clients
Reviews

Most caring dental staff I’ve ever encountered. Every experience has been extremely professional, from just calling to ask a question to cleanings for my whole family and beyond.

Dr. Homann goes out of his way to make sure you understand each step of the process and are comfortable the whole way. Each member of their team genuinely cares about their patients, and knowing I will have the best care every time I walk in the door makes going to the dentist a whole lot easier. Thank you to all the kind and wonderful staff, you make all the difference.

Happy Client
Elk Grove Village, IL

Dr. Homan is the best dentist I've ever been to. Most of my co-workers go to Dr. Homan and that's how I heard about him.

I needed a lot of work on my teeth and I'm so glad I found such a great dentist. He explains everything to you and also is very upfront on all posibiltys that's can happen to the tooth he works on and also explains what you can expect after the dental work. He's also very friendly and everyone at the office makes you feel comfortable. Karen and Sandra in the front office are wonderful as well. They also have wonderful dental hygienist. My insurance is not in network with Dr. Homan but it's well worth the extra money to still go to the best!

Happy Client
Elk Grove Village, IL

Dr. Homann's practice is very clean and up to date. His practice also has televisions to watch when you are getting your teeth cleaned or any other work done which is awesome!

The chairs are very comfortable and the staff is very polite. Dr. Homann is also a very knowledgeable dentist with the ability to make every patient feel calm and comfortable no matter what the situation. He also has done volunteer work for the homeless donating his time and resources to help the less fortunate, if that doesn't let you know what kind of practice this is I don't know what will. I will definitely be coming back here again!

Happy Client
Elk Grove Village, IL
icon

5.0 on 146 reviews

Contact Us Today

Request an Appointment