Dental Implants
Can smokers get dental implants?
25 June 2026 · The Dentist, Al Qusais, Dubai
The short answer
Yes, smokers can get dental implants, but smoking meaningfully increases the risk of implant failure and gum disease around the implant compared with non-smokers. It slows bone healing and reduces blood flow to the gums, which matters most in the first three to six months after surgery when the implant is fusing to the jawbone. Many dentists will still place implants for smokers, often with extra precautions, and quitting or even pausing smoking around the surgery period improves the odds considerably.
Why smoking affects implant success specifically
An implant needs to fuse to your jawbone through a process called osseointegration. That fusion depends on steady blood flow bringing oxygen and healing cells to the site. Nicotine constricts blood vessels and carbon monoxide reduces how much oxygen your blood carries, so the healing site gets less of what it needs, right when it needs it most.
Smoking also thins the gum tissue and dampens the immune response, making peri-implantitis (gum inflammation and bone loss around an implant, similar to gum disease but affecting an implant instead of a natural tooth) more likely years down the line. This is why failure rates in smokers are consistently higher in dental research, particularly for implants placed in the upper jaw where bone tends to be less dense to begin with.
What a dentist will actually do differently
If you smoke, a good dentist won't refuse treatment outright, but they will assess your case more carefully. That usually means checking bone density on a scan, being more conservative about which implant sites are attempted, and possibly recommending a longer healing period before the crown goes on top. Some dentists ask smokers to avoid cigarettes for at least a week before surgery and two weeks after, since that window covers the initial clot formation and early soft tissue healing.
At The Dentist in Al Qusais, Dr. Faris Alkhanafseh assesses each implant case individually, including smoking history, bone quality and gum health, before giving a written treatment plan. The first checkup is free for new patients, which is a straightforward way to find out where you stand before committing to anything.
Can you improve your odds without quitting completely
Complete cessation gives you the best outcome, but if quitting entirely isn't realistic right now, reducing frequency and avoiding smoking entirely during the healing window still helps. Vaping is not a safe substitute either. It still restricts blood flow through nicotine, even without the combustion byproducts of cigarette smoke.
Good oral hygiene matters even more for smokers with implants. That means daily flossing or interdental brushes around the implant, and turning up to every follow-up appointment so early signs of gum trouble get caught before they threaten the implant. Skipping check-ups is the single biggest avoidable risk factor after smoking itself.
If you're a smoker considering implants in Dubai, the honest next step is a proper in-person assessment rather than guessing from general advice. Book the free checkup at The Dentist in Al Qusais, or call or WhatsApp 056 349 8888, and get a clear picture of your bone health and a written plan before deciding anything.
This article is general information, not a diagnosis. If you are in Dubai, the free first checkup at our Al Qusais clinic is the fastest way to get an answer about your own teeth.