Dental implants are the closest restoration to your natural teeth you can get in terms of appearance, feel, and functionality. They provide a top-to-bottom solution from the tip of the crown down to the root. This might leave you wondering if, like your natural teeth, your implants can get cavities and suffer tooth decay as well. Many patients getting replacement teeth, not just dental implants, may think that prosthetics don’t have to be maintained, but nothing could be further from the truth! In this post, you’ll find why it’s not possible for implants to get cavities, along with the best ways to care for implants.
Why Do Dental Implants Not Get Cavities?
Let’s look at some background on the causes of cavities to help you understand why they can’t occur in implants.
Cavities in natural teeth develop because acid formed by bacteria in your mouth has eaten through the enamel and burrowed into your tooth through a very small hole. Once it has made a home in your tooth, it continues to work on eroding it. A dentist places a filling in the cavity to prevent further decay and restore its shape and function.
Because implants are made of metals like titanium and ceramic restorations, they are impervious to what normally eats away at tooth enamel and causes decay. Although implants cannot get cavities, your gums could still develop a gum infection that can make your implants unstable or fail.
What Kind of Care Do Dental Implants Need?
You should tend to your dental implants the same as you do your natural teeth. Brush your implants twice and floss once daily and use an antibacterial mouthwash. Your implants may not be affected by cavities, but not brushing and flossing between your implants and adjacent teeth can certainly cause complications for the natural tooth.
While dentists generally encourage their patients to visit semi-annually long after implants are placed, yours may request to see you more often than that in the first year or two after getting implants. They want to keep an eye on things and ensure the gums remain healthy and the implants are secure.
What Other Benefits Do Dental Implants Offer?
Implants have become the preferred choice of tooth restoration for several reasons:
- Discretion: Implants can be shaded to match the color of your surrounding teeth, ensuring that they won’t stand out or give the impression of false teeth.
- Structure: Implants fuse with the jawbone to create an “artificial root” of sorts, which provides a stable, more secure feeling in the restoration.
- Less invasive: Compared to treatment like bridges, for example, dental implants put much less stress on the surrounding teeth. They don’t depend on healthy teeth to attach to, and act independently as their own teeth.
- Durability: Many patients who take good care of their teeth and visit the dentist twice a year can enjoy the benefits of their implants for a lifetime.
Not only will they not get cavities, but dental implants are beneficial in many other ways as well. With the proper care, you can enjoy the restoration of your functionality and smile for many years to come!
About the Practice
At Arts Family Dentistry of Dallas, we’re bringing exceptional dentistry right to the Bishop Arts area. With comprehensive services, flexible hours, and multiple payment options, we’re dedicated to brightening the smiles of patients of all ages from children to seniors! If you’re interested in dental implants, we partner with Dallas’s most skilled oral surgeons who will listen to your needs in a comfortable, welcoming office environment. To make your appointment, call our office today at (469) 529-8879 or visit us online.