Can Jaw Implants Worsen Periodontal Disease?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I just came back from the dentist and have some periodontal disease (with no bone loss) due to having smoked when younger but have now quit. I was hoping to get jaw implants however I’m wondering if this could be an issue and could it increase the progression of gum disease? I have good oral hygiene habits now however I have some concerns about this.

Also I was wondering if the implant would be visible on dental x-rays and so if a dentist could make assessments about it in the future in case something started going wrong

A: A jaw implant will not cause worsening of any pre-existng periodontal disease nor interfere with any ongoing or future periodontal treatments.

The jaw implant itself is not visible on any standard dental x-rays although its fixation screws would be on a panorex x-ray. The jaw implant is only visible on 2D or 3D CT scans.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon