"I Have Quit Smoking!"

Mr. Ho (52-year-old) is a heavy smoker.  He has severe gum disease.  Three of his top front teeth have abscesses where rubber sticks are inserted for X-ray (Fig.1-3: #6,7,9).  These 3 teeth should be extracted and replaced immediately by implants and crowns.

Smoking lowers the chance of success of implant surgery.  Before surgery, Mr. Ho tries his best to reduce smoking by half. One week after surgery, the abscesses are gone (Fig.6: #6,7,9 are temporary crowns).  The patient is happy with the result.  He smokes very sparingly.

The patient returns 1.5 months after implant surgery because of one of temporary crowns is loose (Fig.9).  It is recemented.  X-ray is taken again (Fig.7,8).  In order to let implants heal better in the bone, bone granules (graft) are placed (Fig.7,8 ^).  In fact these bone granules come from the patient while implant sockets are created.  They later return.

Six months after surgery, these bone chips (Fig.10, 11 ^) appear to heal with the original bone (Fig.11 *, as compared to Fig.8).  More surprisingly, Mr. Ho tells us that he has stopped smoking and wine completely for one month and one week!  Biologic success is based on the patient's cooperation and determination.

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Xin Wei, DDS, PhD, MS 1st edition 12/16/2013, last revision 04/27/2014