Dental implants are a highly attractive tooth replacement option for all kinds of people. They look and feel like natural teeth, they can't slip out of place, and they'll allow you to eat all of your favorite foods. If you're diabetic, you may be used to having to take special precautions, and you may be wondering if dental implants are right for you. Take a look at a few things that you should know about getting dental implants when you have diabetes.
Are You a Candidate For Dental Implants?
The short answer is yes. For a long time, people with diabetes were not considered candidates for dental implants because of their medical condition. However, more recent studies have shown that the rate of implant failure for patients who have diabetes is no higher than that of patients who do not have diabetes.
In fact, one study of 19 patients with uncontrolled diabetes showed no failure of dental implants after a year following treatment. This shows that it's not just patients with well-controlled diabetes who can benefit from implants.
What Are The Risk Factors?
It's important to remember that even though you may not be any more at risk than a person who doesn't have diabetes, you may have different risks than a patient who doesn't have diabetes.
Diabetes often causes wounds to heal more slowly than they do in non-diabetic patients. Dental implants are put in place with a surgical procedure, which means that your mouth will have wounds that need to heal once the procedure is over with. Because you may heal slowly, you are at risk of infection, and infection could cause your implants to fail. However, there are steps you can take to minimize your risk of infection and implant failure.
How to Minimize Risk
One thing that you can do is try to get your diabetes under control if it's currently uncontrolled. This can help make your recovery smoother and speedier than it would be if your condition remains uncontrolled.
The most important thing you can do is practice good oral hygiene. Diabetics are at a higher risk for gum disease with or without implants. If you have gum disease, you should have it treated before getting implants. Once the implants are in place, maintain a steady routine of brushing and flossing several times a day. Just as you're at risk for the gum disease periodontitis before your implant procedure, you'll be at risk for peri-implantitis after you get implants. Meticulous attention to dental hygiene, along with regular visits to your dentist, can prevent you from developing peri-implantitis.
Your dentist (like Dr. Andres Maeso) may ask that you visit the dentist more often than usually after your implant surgery. For example, if you usually go twice a year, the dentist may ask you to come four times a year instead. Following your dentist's instructions is the best way to make implants work for you.
