Getting Dental Implants? 3 Things That Can Make Them Fail

Dental implants are used to replace missing teeth, and they look like your normal teeth so no one will know you have them. If you are planning to get dental implants, they will likely work great for you. There are some things, however, that can cause them to fail, three of which are listed below.

Diabetes That Is Not Controlled

If you have diabetes, you need to make sure you keep it controlled before you even consider dental implants. If not controlled properly, your wounds will not heal as quickly. Because dental implants are considered a surgery, you will have a wound after the procedure, and if this wound does not heal correctly, the implant will fail. You also have a higher risk of developing an infection after the surgery.

As long as you keep control of your diabetes by taking your medications properly and keeping a check on your blood sugar, you should do fine with dental implants.

Smoking

If you smoke, you should stop for many reasons, including to ensure your dental implants do not fail. When you smoke, the first thing that is affected is your mouth. Smoking damages your salivary glands, which results in your mouth being dry. Smoking also affects the blood vessels in your mouth, which causes less blood flow to different areas, including to your implants. This will cause your wound to heal slower. If your mouth is dry, bacteria increases in your mouth, which can cause gum disease and also the bacteria can get into the implant area.

Stop smoking at least a few weeks before you get your implants and do not start smoking after you get them. There are many aids to help you stop smoking that are available, such as nicotine patches, nicotine gum, and medications your doctor can prescribe to you.

Poor Oral Hygiene

Your missing teeth may have been caused by poor oral hygiene. If so, it is important that you make some changes as poor oral hygiene will cause your dental implants to fail. Make sure you brush and floss your teeth twice per day. You should also see your dentist twice per year for dental cleanings. During the dental cleaning the hygienist will remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth to prevent gum disease as well as to prevent bacteria from getting to your implants.

Talk to a dentist, such as those found at South Sound Family Dental & Dentures, about these three things. They can also talk to you about other things that can cause your implants to fail.