How Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Affect Dental Implants?

You probably think you can’t have both dental implants and rheumatoid arthritis. Your Springfield dentist would just tell you that the latter complicates the former. However, that isn’t necessarily true. There’s still a chance you could qualify for implants despite your autoimmune disease. To know for sure, here’s a summary of rheumatoid arthritis’ effects on dental implants and how they inform possible treatment. Read it over to see if you may yet be able to restore your smile!

So, How Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Affect Dental Implants?

While most people can qualify as dental implant candidates, certain health conditions cause concern. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of those conditions, as it can interfere with implants post-treatment.

R.A. & Teeth Cleaning

This arthritis type can make brushing your teeth difficult. Due to how it affects your hands and fingers, you’ll find it hard to hold the toothbrush and perform the necessary motions to clean your mouth. Flossing will be harder.

The resulting decline in oral hygiene would harm dental implants. These replacement teeth are more vulnerable to gum disease than natural ones, so you could develop an infection around your implant.

R.A. & Auto-Immune Response

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, meaning treatment for it involves suppression of the immune system. Said suppression can increase the risk of infection around your implants.

Furthermore, some treatment medications can interfere with bone healing. If your body doesn’t heal well, it’ll be hard for your jaw to incorporate dental implants. These suppressants may also reduce bone density in your jaw, preventing it from supporting an implant.

Talk to Your Dentist

As said before, your rheumatoid arthritis doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have dental implants. It does mean that you’ll need to consult with your dentist beforehand.

During this consultation, your dentist will perform an exam to see if implants are right for you. The process will have them ask about relevant health conditions and evaluate your physical health. They’ll also check the bone density in your jaw and the state of your gums.

Finally, they may talk to you about your medications. If these medicines could interfere with the implants, the dentist will  have you talk to your prescribing doctor about them. You may need to stop taking the medications in the weeks surrounding your surgery.

There’s no doubt that rheumatoid arthritis would make dental implant treatment challenging. Even so, talk to your dentist to see if filling your smile could still be possible.

About the Practice

Advanced Dental Care of Springfield is based in Springfield, IL. Led by several excellent dentists, the practice’s goal is to give patients beautiful, healthy smiles built to last. To that end, it offers preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, not to mention emergency and surgical procedures. You can rest assured that its staff’s treatment plan will meet your dental needs. For more information or to book an appointment, reach them at their website or by phone at (217)-546-3333.