Dental Implants for Smokers in London: Risks and What to Expect

Smoking is one of the most significant risk factors for dental implant failure — and one of the most commonly asked about. Many patients who smoke want to know whether implants are possible for them, how much their smoking history matters, and what they should do before and after surgery to give their implants the best chance of success. This guide gives honest answers to those questions. Smoking does not automatically disqualify someone from having implants, but it does change the risk profile significantly — and any implant dentist who does not discuss this openly before treatment is not giving patients the full picture.

How Smoking Affects Dental Implants

Smoking affects implant outcomes through several mechanisms, all of which relate to the body’s ability to heal and maintain healthy tissues around the implant:

• Reduced blood flow — nicotine constricts blood vessels, reducing the oxygen and nutrient supply to healing tissues around the implant site
• Impaired immune response — smoking suppresses the immune system’s ability to fight bacterial infection in the mouth, increasing the risk of post-surgical infection
• Delayed osseointegration — the process by which the implant fuses with the jawbone is compromised when blood supply and healing are reduced
• Higher risk of peri-implantitis — the inflammatory condition affecting tissues around implants is significantly more common in smokers, and more difficult to treat
• Poorer gum healing — the soft tissue around the implant heals more slowly and less predictably in smokers

Implant Failure Rates in Smokers

The clinical evidence is consistent: smokers have a significantly higher rate of implant failure than non-smokers. Studies report that smokers may be two to three times more likely to experience implant failure. The risk is not uniform — it is higher in heavy smokers, in those who continue smoking throughout the healing period, in patients with additional risk factors such as gum disease or poorly controlled diabetes, and in implants placed in the upper jaw, where bone density is generally lower. This does not mean every smoker who has implants will experience failure — many do not. But the risk is real, well-documented and should be part of every pre-treatment conversation.

Can Smokers Have Dental Implants?

Yes — smoking is a risk factor, not an absolute contraindication. Patients who smoke can still be considered for implant treatment, but the risk should be discussed honestly, documented, and factored into the treatment plan. The implant dentist should carry out a full assessment of gum health, bone volume, medical history and smoking habits before proceeding. Patients who smoke heavily, have active gum disease and have significant bone loss are at considerably higher risk than light smokers with good oral hygiene and healthy gums. These differences in risk profile should be reflected in how the case is planned and what the patient is advised — not treated uniformly.

Stopping Smoking Before Dental Implants

The most important step a smoker can take before dental implant treatment is to stop smoking — and the earlier the better. Stopping smoking before surgery improves blood flow to healing tissues, reduces infection risk and improves the environment for osseointegration. Patients who stop smoking well in advance of treatment consistently have better outcomes than those who continue until the day before surgery. Most implant surgeons recommend stopping smoking for at least one week before surgery as a minimum, though two weeks or more is preferable. Stopping for at least eight weeks after implant placement is associated with significantly better healing. Ideally, the goal is permanent cessation — both for the health of the implants and for overall health.

Recommended Cessation Timeline

• Minimum: 1 week before implant surgery and 8 weeks after
• Better: 4 weeks before and 12 weeks after
• Ideal: Complete cessation before treatment and throughout the lifetime of the implants

Smoking After Implant Surgery

Smoking in the days and weeks immediately after implant surgery is particularly damaging. The healing period — when the implant is integrating with the bone — is when the tissue is most vulnerable. Even patients who have successfully stopped before surgery are strongly advised not to resume smoking during the healing phase. Resuming smoking even after a period of abstinence reintroduces the same vasoconstrictive and immunosuppressive effects that increase failure risk. Long-term smoking after implants are placed also increases the ongoing risk of peri-implantitis throughout the life of the implant — not just in the early healing phase. This means the risk does not disappear once the implants have integrated; it persists for as long as the patient continues to smoke.

E-cigarettes, Vaping and Dental Implants

Vaping is not a safe alternative to smoking for patients having dental implants. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which constricts blood vessels and impairs healing in a similar way to cigarette smoke. While vaping avoids the combustion products found in cigarette smoke, the nicotine effect on blood flow and tissue healing remains. The full impact of vaping on implant outcomes is an area of ongoing research, but current evidence does not support treating vaping as without risk for implant patients. Patients who vape should disclose this at the consultation and discuss it as part of the risk assessment — it should not be assumed to be equivalent to non-smoking.

Dental Implants for Ex-Smokers

Ex-smokers who have stopped for a significant period — particularly those who have not smoked for a year or more — generally have implant outcomes much closer to those of non-smokers. The body’s healing capacity and vascular function improve progressively after stopping smoking, and the risk of peri-implantitis also reduces over time. Former smokers should disclose their smoking history at the consultation, but should not assume that past smoking rules them out.

Gum Disease, Smoking and Implants

Smoking and gum disease are strongly linked. Smokers are significantly more likely to have active periodontitis — and active gum disease must be treated and stabilised before implants are placed. Placing implants in a mouth with active gum disease, particularly in a smoker, significantly increases the risk of peri-implantitis and failure. Gum health assessment should always be part of the implant planning process for smokers.

What to Discuss at the Implant Consultation

Smokers considering dental implants should be prepared to discuss the following at the consultation:

• Current smoking status — how many cigarettes per day, how long they have smoked
• Whether they vape or use other nicotine products
• History of previous attempts to stop smoking and cessation support available
• Current gum health and history of gum disease
• Any other medical conditions or medications that may affect healing
• Realistic expectations about risk — and willingness to stop smoking before and after surgery

At DentAkademi London, a single dental implant including the crown is currently available at £1,100 (reduced from £1,500) until 8 September 2026. For patients with multiple missing teeth, All-on-4 is available at £6,600 per arch (reduced from £9,500). Finance options are available for treatments over £500. A written treatment plan with costs is provided at the consultation before any commitment is made.

Frequently Asked Questions