Dental Art

Dental Implants for Smokers

         For years, dental implants were not an option for those who smoked.

 “Concerns about periodontal health caused dentists to recommend other treatment instead,” says Dr. Vijaya Cherukuri, from her Chino, California Cosmetic Dental Practice. “Infection is always a concern when a dental implant is placed and those who smoke have been shown to have a greater risk of this.” Current smokers are at risk of developing periodontal disease four times more than non-smokers.

Smoking and other tobacco products affect the attachment of tissues to teeth.  More specifically, it appears that smoking impairs blood flow and interferes with the normal function of tissue cells.  This interference makes smokers more susceptible to infection and adversely affects wound and bone healing.

But newer techniques have shown that smokers can also benefit from dental implant treatment. “New research suggests that an implant submerged so there is no exposure during the healing time can greatly reduce the risk of infection and the ultimate success of the implant,” Dr. Cherukuri adds.

 “We are finding more and more how dental implants can help restore function to those missing teeth from a variety of causes. To learn more about how implants are placed, restored and maintained, please visit our website at: www.chinosmiles.com

Why did my Implant fail?

Dental Implants provide a wonderful way to replace missing teeth, but there can be implant failure. Failure is said to occur when the implant is lost, mobile or when there is significant bone loss surrounding the implant.

“Implants generally fail due to one of three reasons,” says Dr. Vijaya Cherukuri from her  Chino, California Dental Practice. “1. Poor case planning,  2. Pre-loading, or 3. Retained cement around the final restoration.”

Your dentist should evaluate carefully the proposed area where the dental implant is to be placed. Usually a surgical guide will be created, thereby making sure the implant is placed in an area that ensures the proper angulation for long-term success. Certain medical conditions like diabetes and osteoporosis, risk factors  like smoking and medications including bisphosphonates do need to be factored in to assess their role in the implant placement.

Pre-loading refers to placing the final restoration - crown, bridge, or denture - prior to proper implant integration with the bone. Generally your dentist will give you a window of time in which to allow for your implant to integrate to the bone. For some, the time may need to be extended beyond the average 4- 6 months to provide for proper bone integration. 

Finally, excess cement not removed after the placement of the final restoration can also cause failure.

“While failure is disappointing, remember, the vast majority of dental implants are successfully placed and restored,” Dr. Cherukuri says. “Dental implants provide another way to keep you smiling.”

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Rationale for Dental Implants

The ideal goal of modern dentistry is to restore the patient to normal contour, function, comfort, esthetics, speech and health.
What makes implant dentistry unique is the ability to achieve this ideal goal regardless of the disease, atrophy or injury to the mouth. However, the more teeth a patient is missing, the more challenging the task becomes.

More than 700,000 implants are placed each year.  The number of implants continues to increase steadily, with more than $150 million of implant products sold in a year.

The increased need and use of implant related treatments result from the combined effect of  a number of factors-

-An aging population living longer
-Tooth loss related to age
-Consequences of fixed prosthesis failure
-Anatomical consequences of edentulism
-Poor performance of removable prosthesis
-Psychological aspects of tooth loss and needs of aging baby boomers
-Predictable long term results of implant supported prostheses
-Advantages of implant-supported prostheses

Implant prosthesis may return the function to near normal limits compared to 60% of function with wearing a denture.  Implants stimulates the bone and maintains dimension in a manner similar to healthy natural teeth As a result, facial features are not compromised.  Implant-retained restoration does not require soft tissue support and improves oral comfort.

"Implant prostheses offer a more predictable treatment course than traditional restorations"  says Dr Cherukuri from her Chino, California practice. Thus the profession and the public are becoming aware of this dental discipline.