A literature review on effects of smoking on the success of dental implants

The use of dental implants has revolutionized the treatment procedure for over last 25 years. Implants now have been widely accepted by patients as their treatment plan and have become a routine procedure by dental surgeons. Owing to the remarkable success, there have been various researches going on to find out factors responsible for the failure of implants. With the growing use of tobacco among patients, its ill effects on bone quality and quantity it arises a keen interest to associate effect on the success of implants. To establish a relationship between smoking and implant success and its long term survival and compare the result with non-smokers based on the literature. Relevant clinical studies and reviews published in English literature published between 1990 and 2012 were reviewed. The articles were located through EBSCO host and manually through the references of peer reviewed literature. Most of the literatures supported the fact that smoking is a prominent risk factor affecting the success of implants. Studies reported that implant failure and its complications associated are twice in smokers as compared to non-smokers. Literatures also revealed that maxillary implant are more affected than mandibular in smokers. Studies suggested that effects of smoking were reversible in smokers who followed the smoking cessation protocol prior to the procedure. Smokers have a greater chances of implant failure and more prone to the complications following implants and related procedures. Surgeons should stress on counseling of patient willing for implant for smoking cessations protocols.