American Diabetes Month is observed in November, and we at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania want to send it off with a word about implants. Placing implants is one of our specialties which makes the biggest positive difference in patients’ lives, but people with diabetes were not always sure whether they could receive them.
Diabetics are at increased risk for gum inflammation (gingivitis) and periodontal disease. This means they are at increased risk of losing jaw bone structure and would benefit from implants, which help to stabilize other teeth. But implant failure was long associated with chronic inflammation and people with uncontrolled blood sugar take longer to recover from wounds. Placing implants requires surgical incisions, which led doctors to question diabetic patients’ candidacy.
In recent years, the American Dental Association has taken steps to resolve this problem by surveying the available scientific studies. Their conclusion is that diabetic people do not have higher rates of implant failure than the general population. In people with uncontrolled diabetes, the longer recovery time and need to control inflammation are important factors to consider, but fixed prosthetics are not off-limits to them.
Drs. Bahram, Richman, Mohan and Dieu operate at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania at 2546 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19145. To schedule an appointment, call 215-463-4141 or visit OralSurgeryPA.com and fill out a contact sheet.
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