Dental implants: clinical conditions
Every year, over 2.5 million Italians have to resort to a dental implant.
It is a delicate operation, the success of which depends on various factors; among these, without a doubt, figure the patient’s lifestyle and the presence of unfavorable clinical conditions to the osseointegration of the implant.
As far as lifestyle is concerned, an incorrect habit that undoubtedly deserves attention is the cigarette smoke, as it is estimated that in Italy about 93,000 people die every year due to smoking; as far as the clinical conditions are concerned, on the other hand, the type 2 diabetes mellitus (1 Italian out of 18 suffers from it) ei tumorsincluding anti-cancer therapies (every year, about 377,000 new cancer diagnoses are made).
To know more:
Dental implants: when to intervene with immediate treatment
Dental implants in smoking patients
Why does smoking promote the failure of dental implants?
Cigarette smoke it compromises the peripheral arterial circulation, hindering the supply of oxygen to the tissues.
Less oxygen to the tissues means that any wounds, including those due to surgery, heal more slowly and less effectively.
This happens in the cavity of a smoker subjected to a dental implant: due to a reduced supply of oxygen to the tissues of the gums, the combined process of wound healing and implant osseointegration is less effectivewhich results in an increased risk of intervention failure.
According to some estimates, smokers have more than double the risk of dental implant failure compared to non-smokers.
But that is not all.
Smoking is also a contributing factor periimplantitis mucositis two inflammatory processes that increase the possibility of implant loss, as they affect the health of the surrounding tissues.
But then can smokers resort to dental implants?
In light of what has been said so far, the question is more than legitimate.
Thanks to the progress of scientific research, today, there are dental implants with characteristics that increase the success of the intervention even in smokers.
Specifically, these are implants equipped with hydrophilic surfaces, which have the effect of attracting blood to the areas of application and promoting its oxygenation.
As you recall, a good oxygen supply to the tissues is essential for effective wound healing and proper osseointegration of the implant
What must the smoker do for a longer lasting system?
Despite the solution just discussed, with a view to safer and more durable systems, the experts are keen to underline the importance of reducing the daily dose of smoking, if not quitting altogether this unhealthy habit.
They also recommend:
• Adopt a healthy and balanced diet;
• Practice physical activity regularly;
• Control blood pressure and blood values such as blood sugar, triglyceridemia, etc., in order to prevent pathologies such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome;
• Regularly undergo professional oral hygiene sessions, to prevent the appearance of conditions such as periodontitis and peri-implantitis.
In summary, therefore, the abandonment of incorrect habits, in favor of a healthier lifestyle, represents a fundamental step to increase the chances of success of dental implants.
Dental implants in cancer patients
Because tumors complicate the realization of implants
The realization of a dental implant in the cancer patient could be problematic.
The reasons are several:
• First of all, tumors favor the establishment of a state of immunodepressionewhich involves, among the various effects, also that of make the oral cavity more susceptible to inflammation; an inflamed mouth is not only an obstacle to implant surgery, but also favors the deterioration of the person’s general health conditions.
• Second, anticancer therapies such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies, and bisphosphonate drugs can damage the gum tissue (with mucositis etc.) and alter the so-called oral microbiota, further fueling the effects of the neoplasm.
The difficulties of implant surgery increase even more if the tumor concerns the oral cavity.
Why use a dental implant in cancer patients?
Contrary to what one might think, in cancer patients who need a dental implant, the latter represents an excellent ally, since, if the intervention is successful, it avoids an abnormal effort on the residual teeth, such as to further worsen any conditions of the mouth.
What should cancer patients do to improve oral health?
To favor oral health and the maintenance of a possible implant, dentists advise patients with malignancies, especially those of the mouth, to undergo regular specialist checkupstake care of the details‘oral hygiene (also relying on the professional) and anticipate all essential treatments and interventions before starting any new therapies, which could worsen the health of the oral cavity even more.
Dental implants in patients with type 2 diabetes
Why does type 2 diabetes favor dental implant failure?
Like smoke, too type 2 diabetes affects the blood supply to peripheral areas of the bodyincluding the oral cavity.
In the patient who needs a dental implant, this complication has two consequences, one in the short term and one in the long term:
• In short, it is of obstacle to the osseointegration of the implant. As previously described, reduced blood flow results in a less effective repair and healing process.
• In the long run, represents a risk factor for recurrent inflammation of the gingival mucous membranesconditions that end up compromising the health of the tissues surrounding the implant.
What should a dental implant look like in a diabetic patient?
Due to poor tissue regeneration ability due to diabetes, it is of fundamental importance that the implant surgery is minimally invasive.
Minimal invasiveness means that the surgical wound is contained, which is why tissue regeneration is less complex.
To reduce the invasiveness of the intervention, dentists resort to guided surgery, a digital approach which allows you to virtually process the operation before implementing it, so that it is highly accurate.
In addition to this, there is another very important aspect to point out regarding the method of intervention: the use of hydrophilic surfaces is indicated in the diabetic patient to favor blood circulation in the area of application of the implant.
This arrangement had already been described for smoking patients.
What can the diabetic patient do for a longer lasting implant?
To favor the maintenance of the dental implant and the health of the oral cavity, the diabetic patient should:
• Practice regularly physical activity, This trick helps to keep blood sugar under control;
• Cure oral hygiene, also relying on the trusted dentist;
• Adopt a healthy and balanced dietwhich includes foods rich in calcium, fish, fruit and vegetables, and in which the consumption of slow-release carbohydrates and foods low in refined sugars is favoured;
• Check your blood sugar regularly.