February 27, 2019
Dental implants are an increasingly popular form of tooth replacement. By giving replacement teeth artificial roots in the jaw, implants provide long-lasting and comfortable results.
For most people, the rate of implant failure remains extremely low — one study indicates a one-year implant survival rate as high as 98.6 percent. Most patients can feel confident in the decision to get dental implants.
Unfortunately, not everyone makes a great candidate for this procedure. People at risk of developing an autoimmune disease — or who have an existing autoimmune disease — need to consider the pros and cons of dental implants more carefully than most. Let’s take a closer look at the relationship between autoimmune diseases and metal implants.
Autoimmune diseases, which cause the immune system to attack the body’s tissues, have both genetic and environmental causes. Some research suggests that metal medical and dental implants may cause an autoimmune reaction in people with metal allergies and other genetic predispositions.
Some of the diseases researched in connection to metal devices include:
If a metal implant causes an autoimmune disorder to develop, removing the implant can usually improve symptoms. However, having an implant placed only to have it removed later can be understandably discouraging.
Though autoimmune reactions to dental implants are rare, they’re something to keep in mind when you’re deciding on a course of treatment, especially if you have known metal allergies or a family history of autoimmune diseases.
For patients with existing autoimmune diseases, there may be concern about whether or not an implant procedure is likely to fail. For an implant procedure to succeed, the gums need the ability to heal, and the jawbone must be dense enough for osseointegration to occur.
Common autoimmune symptoms like inflammation can make healing more difficult. Additionally, some of the medications prescribed to people with autoimmune diseases, such as anti-inflammatory medications, can lead to bone loss over time, increasing the failure rate of dental implants.
Clinicians should assess patients on a case-by-case basis to determine eligibility for the procedure, taking into account overall and oral health as well as current medications.
The short answer to this question is yes. In many cases, patients with autoimmune diseases receive implants without experiencing any complications. Research suggests that the dental implant failure rate with autoimmune diseases is similar to the normal failure rate. For patients with Sjögren’s Syndrome, for example, implants saw a 93.7 percent average survival rate over several years. More frequent dentist check-ins can help ensure that your implant procedure is a success.
Though it’s important to make special considerations for people with autoimmune diseases, these patients can certainly get dental implants safely. As a leading dental implant company, Hiossen® Implants works to provide innovative, safe and high-quality implants for anyone. If you have questions about how our products work for people with autoimmune diseases, reach out to us for more information today.