How Dental Implants Can Help Patients With Diabetes
Did you know that patients with diabetes often have more cavities and periodontal disease than those that don’t? Patients suffering from Diabetes can often times experience oral issues, most commonly tooth loss, which is why they often turn to dental implant surgery as an option to replace or fix missing or broken teeth. So if you are a patient with Diabetes, how do you know if dental implants are right for you?
The two common types of Diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2. Type 2 Diabetes is by far the most common of the two, and is also the most common reason for seeking dental implants. Most patients who experience Type 2 Diabetes are over the age of forty-five, who are obese or overweight, or have a poor or unhealthy lifestyle (such as a lack of proper eating habits, sleeping habits, and exercise).
So why does this happen? Why do patients with Type 2 Diabetes risk having more oral issues than the average person seeking dental implants? While physicians and dentists aren’t 100% sure of what causes oral issues in patients with Type 2 Diabetes, studies have shown that there is a combination of both lifestyle factors (such as those mentioned above), as well as environmental factors such as common viral infections that often lead to other health concerns that often lead to Diabetes.
Dental Implant Success Rate
Since many patients with Type 2 Diabetes seek dental implants to correct oral issues they’ve had (whether it be related to the Diabetes disease or just regular tooth decay), the success rate among patients is high, and the satisfaction of patients is even higher. Some benefits that patients enjoy most about dental implants include that they look and feel like real teeth, they allow for easy eating and chewing and do not get in the way, they won’t slip or fall out or even cause any speech discomfort or problems, and best of all, they do not require any special cleaning or maintenance (such as with dentures).
A dental implant procedure is a several-step process, but is often one that is worth waiting for and enduring. The basic steps include installing a metal rod into the bone of where the old tooth was, and when the bone heels, and encloses around the rod (which can take several months), then a crown of a tooth will be made, which will serve as the implanted tooth. The crown is made in the interim of these steps, as it can take several weeks to be completed. But once it is ready, it will be placed on and serve as the new teeth. A temporary crown is used and installed in the patient’s mouth in the meantime.
Patients with Type 2 Diabetes often have positive experiences with dental implant treatments. Our team of professional and experienced dentists take the time to discuss dental implant treatments and surgeries to our patients. During these discussions, our dentists take the time to go over the positive and negative factors to each treatment option, as well as the benefits and risks to each one. We believe in ensuring that our patients are knowledgeable and fully aware of each treatment option in order to make the best decision for them as well as their cosmetic appearances. This also ensures that the patient feels in control of his or her own dental health and cosmetics, thereby increasing the chances of successful outcomes of their dental implant treatment. And when our patients are happy, we are happy!