Smoking typically takes a heavy toll on oral health, and any smokers who are thinking about getting dental implants are strongly encouraged to give up the habit for good. After all, studies have shown that smokers face a much higher risk of implant failure than nonsmokers and former smokers.

Why? Smoking interferes with blood flow to the gums and jawbone, which can delay the post-implantation healing process and hinder the integration of implants into the jawbone. Smoking also increases patients’ risk of peri-implantitis, which is inflammation of gum and/or bone tissue caused by a bacterial infection around the base of a dental implant.

With that said, smoking does not automatically make a patient ineligible for dental implants at River District Smiles. If you smoke, you should discuss your habit, including how many cigarettes or e-cigarettes you smoke, with Dr. Hubis who will evaluate your health, medications and other factors to determine your eligibility for the dental implantation procedure. If you can’t give up smoking altogether, you will be asked to commit to no smoking for at least two weeks before your dental implantation procedure and for six months afterward to promote successful healing.