Medical Conditions That Affect Implant Healing

If you are interested in dental implants to replace your missing teeth, you’ll need to carefully consider the healing process. In fact, the way an implant heals is a primary indicator of its success. Once the titanium post is surgically placed in the jawbone, a critical healing process takes place in the following few months. During this time, the implant fuses to the surrounding bone and the tissues heal around the implant. When this process is compromised in any way, the implant may fail altogether.

The good news is that if you are in good overall health, you should have a comfortable and easy recovery period after your implant surgery. However, despite how easy it is for the majority of patients, there are still health concerns that can make healing more challenging. While the medical conditions below won’t necessary disqualify you from getting dental implants, they can mean you’ll need some special care and close monitoring during your recovery.

Rheumatoid And Connective Tissue Diseases

Patients with rheumatoid conditions report a greater risk for implant failure, especially if the disease is affecting their connective tissues. The concern is that the implant won’t fuse or bond to the bone and the healing of the surrounding soft tissues may be delayed. To prevent this, you should make sure your condition is properly managed before and after getting implants, and you may need to schedule more regular checkups with your implant dentist during the recovery period.

Heart Disease

Cardiovascular disease has an impact on your entire body’s ability to heal, including your mouth! The goal is to avoid any cardiovascular restrictions that may cause stress-related reactions in your body and ultimately disrupt the healing process of your implant. In addition, your immune system can be lowered if you have heart disease, which makes it hard for your body to fight any type of infection.

Diabetes

New research says that diabetics can receive dental implants, but it is imperative that their condition be well-managed before and after surgery. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels threaten healing in both the soft tissues and bone. In fact, diabetes and gum disease are very closely linked!

Dr. Wayne Suway treats patients on an individual basis. Don’t assume that because you suffer from a certain medical condition that you can’t take advantage of implant dentistry. However, it is very important that you disclose your full medical history with us and are willing to ensure your condition or disease is properly managed before and after implant surgery. When it comes to dental implants, we want each patient to have an easy healing process and the best chance of success!