There is no evidence that implants are preventing cancers from being detected.
Part of every woman's breast cannot be seen on a mammogram, specifically the part that is all the way in the back against the muscle and chest wall. For a larger-breasted woman, that hidden part is a tiny fraction of all her breast tissue. When a woman has small breasts, that hidden part is a greater proportion of all her breast tissue, perhaps 5 to 10 percent hidden, even without implants.
It would be good if the implant, pushing the breast forward as it does, would get that hidden part of the breast out where it could be better seen by the mammogram, but actually that part is now hidden against the implant. So there is still about 5% to 10% of the breast not well seen on the mammogram. Stated another way, smaller breasts have about the same proportion difficult to see on a mammogram, with or without implants.
Some people have speculated that mammograms might show a cancer more readily if the implant were behind the muscle, based on theoretical mathematical calculations. (Read article) But so far, there is no evidence to support that theory, and many plastic surgeons do not agree with the theory because the work that gave rise to it was flawed. Some radiologists do say that it takes them longer to read an over-the-muscle mammogram than an under-the-muscle mammogram, but the same accuracy is being attained either way. It is important to be aware that when an implant is located "under the muscle", only the upper part actually has muscle to cover it, the lower and outer part is just behind the breast anyway.
A properly done implant mammogram should not squeeze the implant excessively, applying just enough pressure to help keep the breast from moving. But it is necessary to squeeze the breast in front of the implant. In fact, some patients report that mammograms performed on their implanted breasts caused less discomfort than on their pre-augmented breasts.
One possible thing can make reading a mammogram more difficult, and that is that sometimes the scar tissue capsule around the implant can get calcium deposits in it, that could make interpretation difficult.
Offsetting that to some degree is the fact that self-examination is easier when there are implants. It is quite easy to feel even tiny lumps, against the smooth round surface an implant provides.
Breast implants do not cause breast cancer, nor delay its diagnosis.
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