Will Your Cosmetic Porcelain Dental Implants Stain?

Your new cosmetic dental implants will be colored to match the natural teeth still in your mouth, so your smile will have a unified, natural appearance. If your cosmetic porcelain dental implants become stained, this will impact the uniformity of your smile. Knowing whether or not your dental implants can become stained and how you can avoid this problem can help you take good care of your implants and your appearance.

Will your cosmetic dental implants stain?

Cosmetic dental implants made from porcelain are porous. However, dental implants will only stain if the glaze on top of the porcelain becomes scratched or degraded in some way. As long as the glaze is intact, your dental implants should not become stained.

What can you do to prevent your dental implants from becoming scratched?

Never brush your porcelain dental implants with abrasive toothpastes. Avoid using fluoride-based toothpastes on your dental implant. The best way to protect your dental implant from becoming scratched is to use a toothpaste made specifically for dental implants.

You can also avoid scratching your dental implant by using a soft-bristled toothbrush. You can also use a toothbrush specifically made for use with dental implants. Toothbrushes made for use with dental implants are generally gentle enough to keep the porcelain intact and unscratched.

If your cosmetic dental implants do become scratched over time, what can you do to minimize the effect of the stains?

You can minimize the staining effect on your dental implant by avoiding eating acidic and staining foods such as:

  • Red wine
  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Red and blue berries
  • Beets
  • Tomatoes and tomato sauce

If you do eat these foods, be sure to brush your teeth immediately before, and swish with water or sparkling water during the meal. This will help keep your teeth clean and will prevent food from sticking to your teeth and implant while you're eating.

You can also minimize the stains on your teeth by visiting your dentist regularly. Getting your implant professionally cleaned and polished will help your dental implant stay clean and white.

Can you whiten your teeth if you have implants?

Your dental implants cannot be safely whitened. If your mouth contains a mixture of natural teeth and cosmetic dental implants, there won't be any way to bleach only the natural teeth without bleaching the implants as well. This means that tooth bleaching won't be an option for you.

Instead, you'll have to practice preventative maintenance (like the process described above of brushing your teeth before meals and swishing with water during meals). For more information, talk to your dentist. He or she can answer your questions about your cosmetic dental implants.


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