Most of the time, patients love how natural dental implants seem. That the posts look and act like “regular” parts of your smile is why they work well! Still, their lifelike quality could leave you wondering: Do dental implants stain like real teeth? Your Ontario dentist doesn’t want you to worry, so you’ll find the answer to that question below. In other words, keep reading to learn how dental implants can suffer from stains (and what to do to prevent discoloration).
Implants are “Stain-Resistant,” Not Stain-Proof
Dental implants have ceramic surfaces, so they’re resistant to stains. However, “stain-resistant” isn’t the same as stain-proof; the posts can discolor in some cases.
It all comes down to the posts’ glazing. If abrasive materials wear away their outer coating, they’ll be less protected from outside forces and debris. Implants could then start to discolor from darkly pigmented foods and drinks, tobacco, and similar materials. Worse yet, such stains can’t be removed with toothpaste or teeth whiteners; you’d have to get replacement posts to fix the problem.
With all that said, you needn’t worry much. The glazes of dental implants are strong and durable, so they rarely get worn away much.
How to Keep Implants from Staining
Despite the low risk, you may want to take extra steps to keep your implants from staining. All you’ll need to do is adopt the following habits:
- Avoid “Dark” Foods and Drinks: Items like coffee, red wine, tea, and berries contain “tannins.” These agents leave behind dark tooth stains, which are very tricky to remove.
- Brush After Meals: Over time, food debris in your mouth can attract bacteria that stain teeth and implants alike. Brush for 30 minutes after meals to limit the presence of such microbes.
- Don’t Smoke: Smoking leads to discolored teeth, as its ingredients (tar, nicotine, etc.) stain enamel. You should thus quit the habit before your implants darken.
- Stay Away from Whitening Toothpaste: Abrasive toothpaste that uses baking soda (and similar materials) can stain your implants. Therefore, please avoid it in the future.
Your dental implants aren’t likely to stain like real teeth, but you never know. Make sure to use the practices above so your prosthetics are sure to stay light!
About the Practice
Salvaggio Dentistry is based in Brampton, ON. Led by Dr. Salvaggio himself, our practice aims to provide your smile with warm, personalized, and cutting-edge care. We thus offer a wide range of dental treatments, ranging from the preventive and cosmetic to the restorative and emergency-based. Our team is ready to assist with whatever your grin needs! For more details or to book a visit, please reach out to us on our website or by phone at (289)-569-0721.