One of the main questions among patients who suffer from diabetes or other chronic conditions is whether they can get dental implants or not. This worry is actually more common than you’d think, given the many problems that conditions such as diabetes (if uncontrolled) can cause. Some of the main issues with diabetes are that high blood sugar levels can increase the risk of infection, as well as slow healing and implant failure.
The good thing is that if you’re here, you’re interested in being as well-informed as possible, and that’s what we’re here for. Research has shown that people with diabetes (or any chronic condition) can have the same success rates as patients who don’t suffer from that or any other condition.
We’ll explore all the key considerations to take into account before getting a dental implant if you have diabetes, including precautions, safety, risks, and the importance of maintaining good oral health.
Can people with diabetes get implants?
Maintaining good oral health is a key habit for everybody, regardless of age or condition you may have. Still, if you have diabetes, this can bring certain challenges to the implant surgery or recovery; that’s why maintaining good oral hygiene and visiting your dentist regularly is highly recommended.
Luckily, it is possible that you can get dental implants if you have diabetes, with the main condition being proper diabetes treatment and management, and proactive dental care. This combination, as well as staying hydrated, can help ensure your implant remains stable on a long-term basis and a successful healing.
With that being said, there are several other considerations you should know about before getting started. We’ve mentioned blood sugar control and maintaining good oral hygiene (the last one applies to everyone, that’s for sure), but having enough jawbone density, having a good diet, diabetes-friendly if that’s the case, and quitting habits like smoking will definitely help the outcome to be successful.
Risks of implants with chronic illness
Several risks come with getting dental implants when you have diabetes. One of them is gingivitis, which is a serious gum infection that destroys your bone structure, making it more difficult for implants to integrate successfully into your jawbone. Later on, it can even progress into periodontitis, which can cause tooth loss or other infections.
In general, when dealing with cases of people with chronic illnesses, conditions often require the work of both a dentist and a physician to avoid any complications, and the illness is controlled before and after the implant placement.
Other risks, as we’ve mentioned above, include the possibility of not healing properly, inflammation, given their weakened immune system, and, of course, reduced bone regeneration in case bone-forming cells are affected by the disease. In simpler words, if the bone formation necessary is compromised or insufficient, the risk of dental implant increases.
Final Thoughts: Health Conditions and Dental Surgery
While having doubts or fears is common before getting a dental implant in general, it’s actually understandable that they may increase when you have a chronic condition such as diabetes.
The good news is that having health conditions does not rule patients out of getting the smile of their dreams. In fact, the low complication rate is the same for both cases, and if you keep a healthy lifestyle the better results and a lower risk of infection or implant failure.
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