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Advanced cosmetic and general dentistry

Archives for February 2019

5 Risks of Getting Dental Implants If You Smoke

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If you’re thinking about getting dental implants to replace missing teeth, they are the most natural-looking and effective solution. People who smoke can still be candidates for dental implants, but you should know the risks involved.

1. Nicotine Narrows Blood Vessels

Nicotine causes blood vessels to narrow and limit the blood flow to organs and tissue. Sufficient blood flow is needed for proper healing around dental implants. If you smoke, the healing process can be delayed.

2. Osseointegration Is Better If You Don’t Smoke

After dental implants are placed, time is allowed for the implants and your jawbone to fuse together. The fusion, called osseointegration, makes the implants very stable—similar to natural tooth roots. Smoking interferes with osseointegration. A 2017 study published in the Journal of International Oral Health provided the following information about dental implant failure and smoking:

  • Failure is more common among smokers than non-smokers
  • Increased smoking frequency also increases the risks of dental implant failure
  • Risk of failure increases with the duration of smoking (> 10 years)

3. Nicotine Promotes Gum Disease

Nicotine binds to tooth roots and affects the health of roots, ligaments, and gum tissue. Compromised tooth roots and ligaments can decrease the stability of teeth and loosen them. Gum disease causes the tissue to pull away from teeth and create pockets where bacteria can leak in. If you develop bacteria in your gums around dental implants, healing will be difficult.

4. Smoking Suppresses Your Immune System

The placement of dental implants requires small incisions in your gum. These surgical sites need to heal properly. Your body naturally fights infection, but if you smoke, your immune system is suppressed. It will be more difficult for your body to fight infection if any bacteria get around your dental implants.

5. E-Cigs and Vaping Can Damage Gum Tissue

e-cigarettes and vaping release a high concentration of very hot aerosols and smoke in your mouth. This exposes your gum tissue to burning, dryness, and chemicals that can inhibit the healing process.

What Are Your Options?

  • Receive dental implants anyway – Many dentists and oral surgeons will still provide surgery if you smoke. They simply inform their patients of the risks. Others will recommend that you stop smoking a few weeks before implant placement.
  • Stop smoking – You can choose to stop smoking several weeks before and after implant placement. Some patients have asked their primary care doctor for help to stop smoking.
  • Temporary alternatives – If you need time to stop smoking, a partial denture or some other form of temporary tooth replacement might be available.
  • Permanent alternatives – Dentures, a dental bridge, or a partial denture are alternate forms of tooth replacement. Although they don’t last as long, a skilled cosmetic dentist can provide natural-looking results.

If you’re interested in dental implants, schedule at least two consultations with different dentists who have advanced training and experience in placing implants. In complex cases, many dentists partner with an oral surgeon for implant placement, and the dentist provides the implant crowns.

This post is sponsored by Lowell, MA implant dentist and accredited cosmetic dentist Michael Szarek, DMD.

The before-and-after photos below show how Dr. Szarek places dental implants and restores them with dental crowns for natural-looking results.

  • Photo of dental implant fixtures in place of two lower right molar teeth of a patient at the Lowell, MA office of Dr. Michael Szarek.
    DENTAL IMPLANTS WERE PLACED
  • Photo of dental crowns placed on dental implant fixtures on two lower right molar teeth of a patient at the Lowell, MA office of Dr. Michael Szarek.
    IMPLANTS WERE RESTORED WITH CROWNS

4 Challenges of Using Porcelain Veneers for Tetracycline Stains

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Concealing tetracycline stains in teeth is one of the most challenging issues a dentist will ever face. But a highly skilled cosmetic dentist can conceal the stains with porcelain veneers and provide natural-looking results.

What Causes Tetracycline Stains in Teeth?

The stains develop due to taking tetracycline, an antibiotic, during childhood while permanent teeth are forming. Grayish brown stains become deeply embedded in teeth and cause them to look very dark.

Why Is Concealing the Stains So Challenging?

Although the stains can be concealed with porcelain veneers, there are challenges:

  1. Natural teeth have translucency, and porcelain needs to have this same quality to look lifelike.
  2. Tetracycline stains can easily show through translucent veneers.
  3. In an effort to conceal tetracycline stains, a dentist or laboratory technician might make porcelain veneers too opaque. The result is chalky looking teeth.
  4. Due to lack of experience with concealing the stains, some dentists cover only the fronts of teeth. The dark color from the stains can be seen on the edges of teeth.

Achieving the Best Results with Porcelain Veneers

  • Photo of dental forceps holding a single porcelain veneers, from the office of accredited cosmetic dentist Dr. Szarek of Lowell, MA.
    Porcelain veneer

Skillful color manipulation is needed to provide natural-looking results. We recommend that you visit a dentist who is accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry or a dentist who can show you photographs of his or her own work on a patient’s teeth that had tetracycline stains.

Your treatment plan should include a try-in of the porcelain veneers before they are bonded to your teeth. Otherwise, you should request the try-in to ensure your investment is worthwhile and the results look natural. If you have any hesitation about the look of the veneers—if the tetracycline stains are showing through them—don’t accept them. The dentist and his or her laboratory need to ensure your veneers look natural.

A family dentist who is not skilled in aesthetics will likely offer you porcelain crowns to conceal tetracycline stains. But this treatment requires significant removal of tooth structure on every tooth that needs a crown. Porcelain veneers are more conservative, and a cosmetic dentist can produce beautiful results.

You can schedule consultations with at least two cosmetic dentists who will briefly look at your teeth and discuss the possibilities for concealing the tetracycline stains with porcelain veneers. A full exam will be needed to accurately explain your options and provide a treatment estimate.

This post is sponsored by Lowell, MA dentist Dr. Michael Szarek—an accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.