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Posts for tag: diabetes

By Frankenmuth Family Dental - Piesko & Lennan DDS
April 28, 2020
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: dental implants   diabetes  
DiabetesCanMakeGettinganImplantDifficultButNotImpossible

Over 26 million Americans have diabetes, a systemic condition that interferes with maintaining safe levels of blood sugar in the bloodstream. Over time, diabetes can begin to interfere with other bodily processes, including wound healing—which could affect dental care, and dental implants in particular.

Diabetes affects how the body regulates glucose, a basic sugar derived from food digestion that's the primary source of energy for cell development and function. Our bodies, though, must maintain glucose levels within a certain range — too high or too low could have adverse effects on our health. The body does this with the help of a hormone called insulin that's produced as needed by the pancreas to constantly regulate blood glucose levels.

There are two types of diabetes that interfere with the function of insulin in different ways. With Type I diabetes the pancreas stops producing insulin, forcing the patient to obtain the hormone externally through daily injections or medication. With Type II diabetes, the most common form among diabetics, the body doesn't produce enough insulin or doesn't respond adequately to the insulin that's present.

As mentioned, one of the consequences of diabetes is slow wound healing. This can have a profound effect on the body in general, but it can also potentially cause problems with dental implants. That's because implants once placed need time to integrate with the bone to achieve a strong hold. Slow wound healing caused by diabetes can slow this integration process between implant and bone, which can affect the entire implantation process.

The potential for those kinds of problems is greater if a patient's diabetes isn't under control. Patients who are effectively managing their diabetes with proper diet, exercise and medication have less trouble with wound healing, and so less chance of healing problems with implants.

All in all, though, it appears diabetics as a group have as much success with implants as the general population (above 95 percent). But it can be a smoother process if you're doing everything you can to keep your diabetes under control.

If you would like more information on managing dental care with diabetes, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

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By Frankenmuth Family Dental - Piesko & Lennan DDS
October 24, 2015
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: dental implants   diabetes  
DentalImplantsandDiabetes

Today, dental implants are an increasingly popular option for replacing lost teeth — an issue faced by many older Americans. It’s not hard to see why these high-tech prosthetic teeth are preferred: They look, “feel” and function just like natural teeth… and with proper care they can last the rest of your life. Unfortunately, many people who could benefit from implants also face an additional health problem: diabetes, a metabolic disease that can affect many different parts of the body, sometimes severely.  Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to nerve and tissue damage, and may adversely impact your oral health. So if you have diabetes, does it mean you won’t be able to get dental implants? 

The short answer is no — but there are some considerations that diabetics (and their health care providers) need to keep in mind. For example, it has been demonstrated that wounds in diabetics tend to heal more slowly, and are more prone to infection than those in non-diabetics. Also, people with diabetes sometimes experience a chronic inflammatory response, which can eventually lead to tissue damage or other problems.

Because the placement of dental implants requires minor surgery, dentists and researchers have questioned whether people with diabetes are good candidates for implants. Now there’s encouraging news: Several recent studies have come to the conclusion that many diabetics can indeed undergo an implant procedure without undue risk.

One key consideration is how well an individual can control his or her blood glucose levels. Researchers have found that diabetics with good blood glucose control, those with poor glucose control, and non-diabetics all have similar implant success rates (above 95%). However, in diabetics with poor glucose control, more time may be needed for the jawbone to heal in the area where the implant procedure was done. That doesn’t by any means rule out the placement of a dental implant — but it does mean that special considerations apply to individuals in this situation.

So if you are considering an implant procedure but have trouble controlling your blood glucose levels, ask us how we can help. Just remember that in most cases, having diabetes doesn’t mean you won’t be able to enjoy the benefits of dental implants. If you have additional questions, contact us or schedule an appointment.

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 Frankenmuth Family Dental 
1025 W Genesee St.
Frankenmuth, MI 48734
(989) 652-6196

 Piesko & Lennan DDS 
15741 Gratiot Road
Hemlock MI  48626
(989) 642-2750

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