Everything You Need to Know About Whitening Dental Implants

Posted on: 30 September 2019

Although more resistant than natural teeth to developing stains, dental implants can become discoloured if you smoke or regularly consume tannin-rich drinks such as red wine or coffee. Regular whitening products, such as whitening strips and toothpastes, do not work well on dental implants, so you will need to ask your dentist to help you get rid of the stains.

Can You Whiten Dental Implants?

Both home whitening products and professional treatments use hydrogen peroxide to remove stains from tooth enamel. This chemical has no effect on dental implants, so regular whitening treatments will not work. However, your dentist can polish the dental implants to remove stains and give you a brighter smile.

What If the Stains Are Severe?

Small scratches on the surface of an artificial tooth can make it more susceptible to developing stains. Sometimes, the best way to get a whiter smile is to replace the visible part of the implant with a new crown. Don't worry — you don't have to go through the full dental implant fitting process again. Instead, the dentist can detach the old crown from the titanium post that supports it. The post stays in place in your gum, and a new crown is attached.

How to Keep Your Dental Implants White

Follow the principles you would use to keep natural teeth white to preserve the colour of your implants. Try to reduce your consumption of red wine, coffee and black tea, stop smoking and remember to brush and floss your teeth every day to prevent the build-up of plaque.

Some Dental Implants Resist Staining

The crown part of your dental implant can be made from porcelain or from a special type of plastic. In general, porcelain crowns are more resistant to developing stains than plastic ones, although they are also more expensive. If having a bright white smile is a priority for you, ask your dentist about porcelain crowns for your dental implant.

What If You Have Partial Dental Implants?

If you still have some natural teeth alongside your dental implants, be wary about using whitening products at home. Whitening strips remove stains from natural teeth but have no impact on dental implants, which can mean that the treatment leaves some of your teeth looking whiter than others. If you want to learn more about whitening your teeth when you have partial dental implants, visit a cosmetic dentistry clinic that offers teeth whitening treatments.

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