Dental Implants & Diabetes
Posted on: 11 April 2019
If you have diabetes, then any type of surgery, including dental implants, can be riskier than with a non-diabetic. However, diabetes, in general, shouldn't prevent you from getting dental implants if you need them. In fact, implants may actually be beneficial for you if you have diabetes. Here are some things to know about diabetes and dental implants to help you make the decision as to whether they are right for you.
How Can Implants Help Diabetics?
Regular dentures can rub against your gums and cause them to become irritated or bleed and this increases the risk of infection, especially with diabetes. Dental implants act more like natural teeth and stay in place in your jaw. This makes it easier to eat the variety of healthy food that make it easier to keep your blood sugar levels under control.
Why Are Implants More Risky for Diabetics?
Diabetes affects all parts of your body, especially your blood vessels as well as your ability to heal and fight infection. If your blood sugar is not kept under control, it can delay your healing and make it more difficult for the jawbone to fuse with the implant. If your implant doesn't fuse with the bone, then it is basically worthless.
How Can Diabetics Improve Their Candidacy?
The number one thing you can do to improve your candidacy for dental implants is to keep your diabetes under control. This means consulting with both your medical doctor as well as your oral surgeon as to creating an individualized plan to help keep your sugar levels down. You must be willing to maintain stable sugar levels throughout the implant process.
What Other Health Conditions Impact Dental Implants?
Even if your blood sugar is manageable, other health conditions, combined with diabetes, can make you a less likely candidate for dental implants. Smoking, especially if you are diabetic, can also cause problems with healing and infection. Low bone density may also be a problem as you will need to do bone grafting. This procedure will require a separate process which could also be affected by your diabetes.
The good news is that there is no reason why you can't have dental implants if you have diabetes provided you follow your doctor's advice and are diligent about your aftercare. Dental implants can improve your jawbone health and they feel, look, and work like natural teeth. If you are tired of dentures and bridges and think that a dental implant is a more desirable option, then talk to your doctor and dental professional for more information.
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