I’ve had All on 4 implants since February 2020. My surgeon advised me to quit smoking for the best outcome, so after 22 years of smoking, I quit. I knew it wasn’t smart to invest in implants and ruin them with smoking. My mouth healed after implant surgery, and my teeth look great. Quitting smoking has been a blessing because I can breathe better, and my skin looks better. After golfing with my buddies, we have a few drinks, and they smoke cigars. Smoking was not an issue during the heat of COVID because most of us golfed and went our way afterward. But now that things are calmer, the drinks and cigars are back on. Last month, I started smoking cigars, but I feel unsure about it because of my implants. Am I cheating myself of a good time if I skip the cigars, or am I putting myself at risk whenever I smoke them? Thank you. Joel from RI
Joel,
Thank you for your question.
Will Smoking Affect Healed All-on-4 Implants?
Avoid smoking before and after All-on-4 implants to promote your oral health
Long- or short-term smoking can affect your oral health and your All-on-4 implants. Smoking narrows blood vessels and the supply of blood and oxygen to your gum tissue. Your gums can get irritated and inflamed. Without healthy tissue around your dental implants, gum disease can result. The long-term success of dental implants requires healthy gum tissue and jawbone.
In April 2020, the Journal of Clinical Medicine published the article, The Long-Term Effect of Smoking on 10 Years’ Survival and Success of Dental Implants. The report notes the following regarding smoking and dental implants:
- Smokers have a greater risk of peri-implant bone loss and implant failure, especially in the upper jaw.
- Bone loss was significantly higher in smokers.
- Implant patients can prevent disease around implants if they remain non-smokers.
What About Social Smoking with All-on-4?
You may be able to smoke in social settings without damaging your gums. But it is impossible to predict when or how smoking may affect your gums over time. Remaining a non-smoker will ensure your gums are healthy and prolong the longevity of your All-on-4 dental implants.
Sugar Land, Texas, implant dentist Dr. Siny Thomas sponsors this post.