Can I Get Dental Implants If I’m Diabetic?
There are many tooth loss treatments, but none offer the benefits of dental implants. Dental implants are placed in the jaw to act as artificial tooth roots. Dental implants can secure a full range of dental restorations, allowing us to rebuild the smile and prevent bone degeneration.
Dental implants are highly sought, but not everyone is an ideal candidate for this procedure. One condition that could interfere with dental implant success is diabetes. The dentists from Garden City Smiles explain to our Long Island, NY and Garden City, NY, patients how diabetes may affect dental implants, and how they determine dental implant candidacy among their diabetic patients.
How Can Diabetes Interfere With Dental Implant Treatment?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects a person’s blood sugar levels. When a person eats, the body breaks down most of the food into sugars, which are released into the bloodstream. As blood sugar levels go up, the pancreas should release insulin. Insulin allows the sugars in the blood to be released and used as energy. When someone suffers from diabetes, the body is either unable to produce enough insulin, or the cells stop responding to insulin. In either case, blood sugar levels increase.
High blood sugar levels can interfere with the body in a number of ways. In regards to dental implants, what is important to understand is that high blood sugar levels can slow down healing and recovery. The key aspect of dental implant success is osseointegration, which is the process of the bone tissues healing and fusing around the implants so they become a part of the jaw. Since diabetes can slow down healing, the condition could prevent osseointegration from occurring, which would result in dental implant failure.
Getting Diabetes Under Control
Diabetes interferes with the body’s ability to control blood sugar levels, but there are ways for diabetics to keep sugar levels within a healthy zone. Many diabetics are able to control blood sugar levels through a combination of a healthy diet, an exercise plan, and medication. When diabetics check their blood sugar levels regularly and keep them within the target range, they can avoid the side effects and complications associated with diabetes, including slower healing and recovery.
The Importance of a Dental Implant Consultation
Although diabetes may interfere with dental implant recovery, a diabetes diagnosis does not automatically exclude someone from being a dental implant candidate. A dental implant consultation is key to determining whether or not a diabetic patient can expect to have success with dental implants. When considering dental implant candidacy, our dentists take into account many factors, including:
- The patient's diabetes diagnosis (does the patient have type 1 or type 2 diabetes?)
- The patient’s ability to manage blood sugar levels
- The patient’s medical history
- The patient’s general health (do they suffer from any other conditions that could compromise dental implant treatment?)
When diabetes is well managed and individuals are able to keep blood sugar levels within a healthy range, there is likely to be nothing that stops them from being a dental implant candidate.
Schedule a Consultation
If you suffer from diabetes and would like to know if dental implants can help you rebuild your smile following tooth loss, we invite you to schedule a consultation at Garden City Smiles. To get the process started, contact our practice online or call (516) 294-0375 at your earliest convenience.