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Received all on four implants and ready to smoke my cigars again.

By October 30, 2013November 30th, 2018All-on-4 Dental Implants

Hello, I am a social cigar smoker. I am one of the committee members for a local cigar club. Our group also attends regional events. On 10/2 I received all on four implants. I quit cigar smoking three weeks before I got the implants.That was the best I could do. I am told that I have to continue without smoking through the healing process. We have another event coming up for the holidays and I want to be a participant not an onlooker. My dentist said that I need to give it more time before I start smoking again. I want an answer independent from my dentist. Is this really necessary? T.D.

T.D. – Smoking will affect the healing process of your All on 4 dental implants. It can even cause the implants to fail completely. During the two to six month healing process for the implants to become fully anchored in the bone, smoking should be avoided. There are several good reasons:

  • Slower healing – Smoking reduces the oxygen supply in your blood and slows the healing process. It will make it more difficult for your jawbone to heal around your implants, which can lead to implant failure.
  • Inflammation – When you smoke during the healing process, the area around the implants can become inflamed and pockets of pus can develop. The inflammation can interfere with the healing process or completely prevent healing.
  • Increased risk of infection – Smoking can increase the risk of infection in the area of the implants. Your body will have difficulty fighting the infection and the implants can fail.
  • Reduced effectiveness of medication – Smoking inhibits the effects of antibiotics prescribed to help fight infection. If an infection is not eliminated, the risk for losing the implants increases.

Refraining from smoking during the healing process is best to ensure that your implants are successful.

This post is sponsored by Naperville implant dentist and board-certified prosthodontist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

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