Pristine Preservation: Do Dental Implants Stain Like Natural Teeth?

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, dental implants are the most advanced and reliable treatment available. They’re made up of lifelike crowns attach to your jawbone via titanium rods, offering maximum stability and aesthetics. However, they are also a big commitment, so patients rightly want to know if they’re prone to being discolored like natural teeth. After all, why invest in a treatment that you won’t like the look of in a few months?

Read on to learn all about tooth staining and how dental implants react to discoloration.

Why do Teeth Stain?

Before diving into how dental implants compare to natural teeth in terms of staining, you should know how discoloration happens. You see, normal teeth have several layers. These are the enamel on the outside, the dentin under that, and the pulp in the middle. Enamel and dentin are what give a tooth its color.

Dentin is normally a soft yellow color and can’t be altered. Enamel, on the other hand, has a wide range of shades that can be influenced by outside factors. This is because tooth enamel is porous—full of microscopic holes. As you eat and drink, some of the pigments can get into these holes, gradually changing your tooth color.

Do Dental Implants Stain Like Normal Teeth?

Unlike natural teeth, the crown of a dental implant is typically made of materials like porcelain or other ceramic. Since porcelain isn’t a porous material like your enamel, it’s far more resistant to discoloration.

Even the common enemies of dental brilliance like coffee, tea, wine, and tobacco have a low impact on dental implants. However, they can still hold on to surface stains if they aren’t cared for properly.

Keeping Your Dental Implants Clean

So, if you want to keep your dental implants looking their best and minimize the risk of staining, consider the following tips:

• Practice Good Oral Hygiene: Brushing and flossing regularly, along with routine professional cleanings can help prevent plaque buildup and staining around dental implants.
• Avoid Stain-Causing Substances: Limit your contact with the aforementioned common stain culprits like coffee, tea, red wine, and tobacco products. Snacks with high concentrations of food dye are equally obnoxious.
• Quit Smoking: Smoking not only stains natural teeth but can also affect the appearance of your implant. Quitting smoking can not only improve the appearance of your implant, but also its longevity.
• Regular Dental Checkups: Schedule regular dental checkups to keep watch over the health and appearance of your implants. This allows your dentist to help address staining and provide recommendations for maintenance.

So, while dental implants are less prone to discoloration than natural teeth, proper care is still essential for preserving their brightness. By practicing good oral hygiene, avoiding stain-causing consumables, and asking your dentist for aid, you can keep your implants pristine.

About the Practice

At Annigan Dental, Dr. Henry Hsue and Dr. Julia Fredrickson are both talented dental experts and passionate about helping patients achieve their dream smiles. They have the knowledge, skill, and technology to place dental implants with success. If you need to fill a gap in your grin, they can help. Call (425) 492-6898 to schedule a dental implant consultation or visit the website to discover other services.