A dental implant may fail for a number of reasons, including the location of the implant, the skill level of the dental surgeon, and patient-related factors such as overall health, oral hygiene practices, the quantity and quality of bone in the implant area, and smoking habits.
However, research has shown that the most significant predictor of dental implant failure is patient-related variables and habits. While smoking and unhealthy habits can harm your overall health, they can also result in dental implant failure.
How does smoking negatively impact dental implantation?
Tobacco use has a significant effect on the periodontal tissue and increases the risk of peri-implant disorders. Nicotine and tobacco cause blood vessels in gum tissue to constrict, reducing the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the gums and jawbone.
Smoking is a well-known risk factor in dental implantation, with the failure rate of implants in smokers being nearly double that of non-smokers, leading to a higher rate of implant osseointegration failure due to direct exposure to cigarette smoke. Smoking also has a negative impact on oral hygiene around implants and increases the risk of peri-implantitis (the infection of area around the implant.)
What are other factors that can cause implant failure?
It’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of implant failure and ensure the longevity of the implant.
Some key factors that contribute to implant failure include:
1-Poor oral hygiene:
Some patients believe that since implants are not susceptible to decay like natural teeth, they do not need to be brushed and flossed regularly. However, while they cannot develop cavities, they still need to be cleaned and flossed daily just like regular teeth. This helps to remove food particles, plaque, and germs that can build up around the implants and cause irritation to gum tissue.
2- Certain health conditions:
Conditions such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis can slow down the body’s healing process, making osseointegration more difficult and increasing the risk of infection and implant failure. It is important to control these diseases and take medications as prescribed before undergoing an implant procedure to increase the success and longevity of the implant.
3- Teeth grinding: This is an involuntary clenching, grinding, and gnashing of teeth that often occurs during sleep, and can be caused by stress, focus. Teeth grinding generates high levels of pressure, preventing the implants from properly integrating with the jawbone and causing the implant to fail if subjected to too much strain.
The success of an implant involves immobility, absence of infection, absence of pain, and progressive bone growth. Despite a high success rate, implants can still fail due to the previously mentioned factors, which appear to be significant contributors to early and late implant failure.
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