Dental Implants and Diabetes
Dental implants are absolutely safe for people with diabetes and they may even be a better choice for your long term health than dentures. Dental implants offer people the opportunity to eat the foods that are a part of a balanced diet and they offer diabetics avoid the inflammation and irritation that can come with wearing dentures regularly. Depending on your overall health, your diabetes may require additional care before and after your implant procedure.
How Does Diabetes Affect My Ability to Get Dental Implants?
When researchers studied the impact of dental implants on people with diabetes in 2016, the results showed that implant procedures are safe. The results are predictable with the same complication rate of people without diabetes. If the patient has their diabetes under control, then they can look to tooth replacement options other than dentures. Dental implants can offer a longer lasting and safe dental restoration to people with and without diabetes.
Is your diabetes under control?
When your diabetes is monitored and maintained, then you have better overall health. Additionally, when you are looking to have any dental implant procedures, you are more likely to have a successful outcome. Your results will have as few risks and complications as people who do not have diabetes. Multiple studies have proven that people with diabetes can be good candidates for dental implants as long as their diabetes is under control. Without proper maintenance of their diabetes, diabetics will have higher rates of infection after their procedures and dental implant failure.
The jaw bone holds the dental implants in place and the implant eventually fuses with the bone to provide a strong foundation for the replacement tooth that sits above the gum line. The material used for the dental implant is usually titanium or zirconium which allows the body to heal with the dental implant in the spot on the jaw where the dentist places it during the procedure. With this secure base, dental implants are stronger and more permanent than dental bridges and dentures.
Diabetes can slow the healing process for after a surgery, whether the patient controls their diabetes or not. But when the diabetes is uncontrolled, the patient will have an even more difficult time healing and will need even more time. Prior to performing the dental implant surgery, the dentist may ask you to better monitor and manage your diabetes in order to ensure a higher success rate. After the dentist is satisfied with your overall health, then you will be one step closer to having a replacement tooth that acts like one of your natural teeth.
Do you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes?
Depending on the nature of your diabetes, you may have an easier time managing your disease. If you have type 1 diabetes, you may have a more difficult time controlling your sugar and insulin levels. Without that predictability, you will have a more difficult time healing, have more risks, and have an increased possibility of dental implant failure as compared to people with type 2 diabetes. If you do have type 1 diabetes and you are looking into dental implant options, you are not eliminated from being a candidate for the procedure. It does mean that your dentist and oral surgeon will need to have a clear understanding of both your medical as well as dental histories. The dentist may require blood tests or more information about your history of infections to better understand how your body heals.
Another consideration for people with diabetes is their age; if you have been a diabetic for a longer period of time, then you will be more prone to slower healing and increased infections. If you are a diabetic and you are seriously considering dental implants, you are encouraged to have the procedure sooner rather than later to increase your chances of success.
Are you generally healthy?
When people are looking into dental implants, they often question if they are too old to have the procedure, but the more important consideration is their overall health. There are some conditions that will exclude you from dental implants that include:
- Existing gum or periodontal disease
- Low bone density without the option of bone grafting
- Post-procedure compliance of the aftercare instructions
- Smoking
- Oral cancer treatment
- Biphosphate medication use in the past
- Healing compromising diseases or conditions
If you are not willing to be patient while your body heals after the dentist places the implant into your jaw or you are not willing to quit smoking, then the dentist may suggest other tooth replacement options for you. Habitual nicotine use will cause your body to heal more slowly and the sucking action of inhaling can disrupt your implant from healing in place properly. If you are considering quitting in order to have your dental implant procedure, you could even consider quitting for good. In this case, the dental implant will help your overall health even more.
Once you have looked into replacing your missing tooth and you talk to the dentist about your options, the dentist will need to take all aspects of your medical and dental health into consideration before determining the best treatment option. The dentist or oral surgeon will review your records and history thoroughly in order to offer you the least amount of risks and the highest chance of a successful dental implant experience. The dentist may need to work with you on making some adjustments before you are ready for the procedure whether it is a root canal or managing your blood sugar levels more closely.
Dental implants can help you maintain a diabetes-healthy diet
When you look at the diets recommended by doctors and dieticians, they are full of fresh foods with minimal processing. These foods usually require more chewing and may be more difficult to enjoy with dentures. Your natural teeth are anchored in place with your jaw bone and dental implants use the same structure to create similar strength and stability. When you do not have to worry about dentures sliding around and not fitting properly, you can eat with more confidence.
Due to the nature of dentures, they are more apt to shift in your mouth as you talk and eat. The added movement can create inflammation and irritation on your gums or even sores after prolonged agitation. High fiber foods, like leafy green vegetables, may be too problematic to eat with dentures but are much easier to enjoy with dental implants.