{"id":243,"date":"2022-10-28T19:17:07","date_gmt":"2022-10-28T19:17:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.edfamilydental.com\/blog\/?p=243"},"modified":"2022-10-28T19:17:08","modified_gmt":"2022-10-28T19:17:08","slug":"can-i-get-dental-implants-if-i-have-rheumatoid-arthritis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edfamilydental.com\/blog\/2022\/10\/28\/can-i-get-dental-implants-if-i-have-rheumatoid-arthritis\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Get Dental Implants If I Have Rheumatoid Arthritis?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"man<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Needless to say, rheumatoid arthritis can make so many\naspects of your day-to-day life challenging, including taking care of your\nteeth. When brushing and flossing become painful and difficult, your oral\nhealth naturally begins to suffer. You might even end up losing your teeth\naltogether! These days, you can fortunately get dental implants<\/a>\nto replace your missing teeth with a solution that\u2019s just like the genuine\narticle. But is it even possible to get dental implants if you have rheumatoid\narthritis? Yes, but there are some risk factors you should be aware of. Keep\nreading as a dentist describes how rheumatoid arthritis can impact your\ncandidacy for dental implants!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Affect Your Eligibility for Dental Implants?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The main characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is swelling\nand pain in the joints. So, you might be wondering what it has to do with\ndental implants, which are placed in your mouth. RA comes into play during the\nhealing process after the implants have been surgically placed. The jawbone\nbegins to grow attached to the implant posts over the next several months. This\nprocess, called osseointegration, is the key to implants\u2019 ability to remain\nsturdily in place for years or even decades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, RA is an autoimmune disease, so it might cause the\nimmune system to attack healthy cells and disturb this process. The implant\nsite will also take longer to heal, and the risk of infection will be significantly\nhigher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, RA can hinder your mobility, which affects\nyour oral health and in turn, your dental implant eligibility. Sometimes,\npeople with RA struggle to properly hold a toothbrush, let alone thoroughly\nclean their teeth to the degree that is necessary to prevent oral infection \u2013\nthe most common reason why dental implants fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the medications used to treat RA involve suppressing\nthe immune system, which also ups the odds of infection. Other medications might\ninterfere with your body\u2019s ability to heal, which might make it more difficult\nfor the implants to integrate with your jawbone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preparing for Dental Implant Surgery When You Have Rheumatoid Arthritis <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even though RA doesn\u2019t automatically disqualify you from\ngetting dental implants, you should be mindful of the higher risk you face. RA\nmight make daily oral hygiene difficult, but keeping your mouth clean is\nessential if you want your new teeth to be successful. To maximize your chances\nof your implants standing the test of time, prepare for your dental implant\nsurgery by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n