If you’re missing teeth while living with diabetes, you may be wondering if you’ll still qualify for permanent restorations like dental implants despite your condition. However, the good news is that although this treatment does require surgery, being diabetic does not automatically disqualify you from it. In fact, it may even help keep you healthier longer than more temporary tooth replacement options like dentures ever could! Here’s how.
How Does Having Diabetes Affect My Ability to Get Dental Implants?
Diabetes is a condition that makes it difficult for your body to produce adequate amounts of insulin or even use it properly. This in turn prevents it from properly converting food into energy and can subject you to dangerously high levels of blood sugar which can endanger your overall health.
However, if well managed, diabetes does not have to be a dealbreaker for patients seeking dental implants. Because this procedure does require surgery, however, it is important that you be in adequate overall health. It is also possible that you may require some additional care both before and after your procedure, but your dentist will discuss this with you during your consultation if it applies.
How Can Dental Implants Benefit Diabetic Patients?
In addition to restoring your healthy, beautiful smile, dental implants can benefit diabetic patients by allowing them to once again eat a well-balanced diet, all the while eliminating the inflammation, irritation, and infection that are so common with dentures and decayed teeth.
Furthermore, because prosthetics like dentures are much more likely to shift while in use, they can cause uncomfortable side effects like gum tenderness and denture sores. Worse yet, foods that rely on a stronger bite force to chew such as fresh fruits and vegetables and tougher proteins can be nearly impossible to eat, causing wearers to instead choose processed and higher carbohydrate options that raise their blood sugar and put their health at further risk.
With dental implants, however, these challenges are eliminated, as they provide the same reliable, stable biteforce that your real teeth do, allowing you to eat a vast diet of nutritious, delicious foods.
How Can I Improve My Odds for Dental Implant Success with Diabetes?
For patients who do not have any preexisting medical conditions like diabetes, dental implants boast an impressive 95 percent success rate, even ten years after placement. Being diabetic, however, does decrease those odds slightly. The good news is that among those whose condition is well-managed, that number is just slightly lower, ranging between 90 and 95 percent. For those who do not have well-controlled diabetes, that number plummets to between 75 and 82 percent, highlighting the importance of being in good health before treatment.
To improve your odds of dental implant success once your prosthetics have been placed, be sure to adopt the following healthy habits:
- Keep your diabetes under control by maintaining a healthy diet, taking any prescribed medications, and working together with your doctor to ensure that your condition is well-managed.
- Never smoke cigarettes, vape, or use tobacco products as these can slow healing and interfere with your body’s ability to process sugar.
- Treat any preexisting oral health conditions such as gum disease before getting dental implants.
- Eat a healthy diet low in carbohydrates and sugar, and don’t use your dental implants to chew anything excessively crunchy like hard candies or ice cubes.
- Never use your dental implants (or natural teeth!) as tools.
- Maintain excellent oral hygiene practices, such as brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and visiting your dentist every six months for your regular check-ups and cleanings (yes, even if you have no remaining natural teeth!).
Remember, although you may need to undergo a few preliminary procedures before your smile is ready for dental implants, being diabetic is by no means a dealbreaker for this treatment. To learn more about your smile restoration options while living with diabetes, schedule a consultation with your dentist today.
About Our Practice
If your smile has been dimmed by missing permanent teeth, dental implants can bring back your confidence, self-esteem, and ability to enjoy a nutritious, delicious diet. If you suffer from diabetes, don’t let gaps in your smile prevent you from leading a healthier lifestyle. Schedule a consultation at Lakeland Dental Care with Dr. Malley or Dr. Abernathy today to learn more about how dental implants can improve your gorgeous grin and make living with diabetes easier, more comfortable, and more manageable than ever before. To get started, visit our website or call us today at 601-981-8166.