Dental Implants and Diabetes
For a variety of reasons, dental implants are an ideal dental restoration option for diabetics, but it is very important for the patient’s diabetes to be well-controlled before implants can be placed. For patients with well-controlled diabetes, however, complication risks are similar to those of healthy patients. If you have diabetes and want to replace missing teeth, following the instructions of your primary care provider and your dentist will help ensure the long-term success of your dental implants. Read on to understand the considerations about dental implants for patients with diabetes.
What Type of Diabetes Do You Have?
It can be more challenging to control type 1 diabetes than type 2. For this reason, the risks of dental implants are slightly higher for those with type 1 diabetes. While dental implants can certainly be an option for patients with type 1 diabetes, your oral surgery team will thoroughly review your dental records and your medical history, learning as much as they can about any infections you may have had and how your body responds to healing. Patients who are older or have had diabetes for a very long time tend to have slower healing processes and be more likely to get infections, so, if you’re considering dental implants and you have diabetes, the sooner you can commit to your decision, the better. Start with a visit to your doctor to make sure you’re on the path to diabetes management, and let your dentist know you’re interested in learning more about your dental implant options over the longer term.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants for Diabetic Patients?
Dental implants confer multiple benefits to any patient, though these benefits may be more valuable and noticeable in patients with diabetes. Because dental implants are permanently affixed in the jawbone, they are stable and sound, allowing patients to eat a variety of nutritious, whole foods and maintain a healthy diet that helps keep diabetes in check. Removable dentures tend to slip and rub in the mouth, creating painful sores and tender gums. In many cases, it’s impossible to comfortably eat crunchy vegetables and lean proteins with removable dentures, which can lead people to rely on processed foods that cause blood sugar levels to skyrocket. Maintaining a balanced diet helps reduce the likelihood of gum disease, an inflammatory condition that’s particularly threatening for patients with diabetes. Dental implants resemble natural teeth in many ways, including the fact that they stimulate the muscle and bone of the jaw while biting and chewing a nutritious, varied diet that supports the oral health and the overall health.
Is Your Diabetes Well-Controlled?
While it is true that patients with well-controlled diabetes have complication risks comparable to healthy patients, it is also true that patients with uncontrolled diabetes are more prone to infection following dental implants, and more prone to implant failure. The strength and longevity of dental implants relies in large part on the efficacy of the healing process, the period when the dental implant post and the bone fuse together and create a permanent bond. For patients with diabetes, the healing processes tend to be slower, and patients with unmanaged diabetes face a more difficult time healing. Your oral surgeon may include your primary care provider in the planning consultation for your implant treatment, and they will ensure that you’re working with your primary care provider to keep your diabetes in check leading up to the implant procedure. Once your primary care provider gives the go-ahead, the dental implant treatment process can begin.
What Else Should I Consider If I Want Dental Implants?
A major criteria for dental implants and diabetes is whether the diabetes is well-managed, but this isn’t the only thing your implant team will consider. Your oral health and overall health are two other important factors that can affect the success of dental implants, and certain habits and behaviors that affect the oral and overall health should also be addressed before implants are recommended. If you have existing gum disease or periodontal disease, your dentist will treat the issue or refer you to a periodontist, making sure the oral cavity is healthy before continuing with treatment. In cases of low bone density, which can develop because of periodontal disease and for other reasons, your implant team may recommend bone grafts, which can help supplement weak or diminished bone. Additionally, if you are unable or seem unwilling to follow aftercare instructions closely and carefully, you may not be a good candidate for dental implants, as these aftercare steps are crucial to the healing and long-term success of the implants. Patients who have been treated for oral cancer or taken certain medications may not be eligible for implants, and certain medical conditions and diseases can also contraindicate implant treatment. Finally, if you are a smoker, you must commit to quitting smoking for the entirety of the healing period, which can take several weeks, if not a few months. This is non-negotiable, as smoking is one of the most damaging habits a person with dental implants could have and also a primary contributor to gum disease and implant failure. While all of these things are important considerations, your implant surgery team will talk through your concerns and considerations with you, creating a health plan with the goal of providing dental implant treatment as soon as safely possible.
Final Thoughts
Dental implants are perfectly safe for healthy diabetics, and choosing implants over traditional dentures can vastly improve the comfort and health of these patients. Not only do dental implants help you maintain a balanced, healthy diet, they also eliminate the infection, irritation, and inflammation that often occur with dentures. Reducing inflammation helps keep gum disease in check and minimizes the risk of infection and other complications. Even though patients with diabetes might need to go through a few extra steps before and after implant placement, the multiple benefits provided by dental implants are well worth it for most who wear them. Remember, the longer you go with improperly managed diabetes, the more challenging dental implant placement may become, so contact your primary care provider and your dentist today to learn how to proceed with your future perfect smile and healthy lifestyle.
