When patients look after their oral health and take good care of their dental implants, these hardy replacements can last for decades (or even a lifetime!). If you smoke, though, the effects of nicotine can cut that lifespan drastically short. Multiple studies trace how tobacco products impact dental implants, and just on average, smokers are more than twice as likely as non-smokers to experience treatment failure.

There are three main reasons why this is the case, and if you’re thinking about getting dental implants as a smoker, you should consider the risks and talk to your prosthodontist about your options.