Overall, dental implants see a very high rate of success between 95% – 98% but long-term survival does depend on a few important variables – including whether or not a patient is a smoker.

In addition to many other health risks attributed to smoking tobacco products, your oral health is also at risk of deterioration if you are a smoker. Nicotine and its many bi-products affect peripheral blood vessels (the superficial vessels that are visible in the mouth and skin) and constricts them enough to decrease the blood flow to the areas they supply. This can affect healing mechanisms in the mouth.

Smoking also damages the salivary glands, resulting in mouth dryness which promotes growth of disease-causing bacteria. Increased bacteria in the mouth leads to a higher incidence of periodontal (gum) disease – a major cause of dental implant complications and failure.

From years of clinical research, we’ve learned that the success of dental implants depends on many factors that determine the ability of the jawbone to join with the surface of surgically implanted titanium device – a process known as ‘osseointegration.’ Smoking in the immediate post-surgical period can delay healing and increase the chance of infection, leading to early implant failure.

Even after a dental implant has healed, the chance of long-term failure is still a risk with continued smoking. A recent study in The Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants (the scientific journal of the Academy of Osseointegration) showed that smoking increases the annual rate of bone loss around implant by 0.16mm/year. As slight as that may seem, this bone loss does compound over time. A long history of smoking may also be associated with failure to maintain osseointegration (the attachment of the bone tissue to the implant surface) once it has been established. Continued exposure to smoking can promote bone loss around the implant – especially where there is peri-implantitis – which can also lead to increased bone loss.

Even though the failure rate of dental implants is very low (reported 5-8%), more than half of these failures were noted in individuals who were smokers. Early implant failures were significantly associated with smoking at the time of surgical implant placement. Later failures, occurring after the dental crowns were placed, were associated with a longer-term history of smoking, both before surgery and after.

For maximum success with your dental implant placement, we suggest the following steps:
1. Discontinue smoking at least 2 weeks prior to the implant surgery and at least two weeks following surgery,
2. Commit to stop smoking entirely,
3. Follow recommended oral hygiene, including brushing your teeth and flossing daily and after meals,
4. See your dentist for regular checkups and maintenance appointments