Dental implants offer a safe, effective way to replace missing teeth. After the healing process, you’ll enjoy eating, speaking and smiling normally once more. However, patients frequently wonder how well their implants will match their natural teeth.
The Cleveland Implant Institute takes special care to match your implants to your remaining teeth. Tooth shape and color can vary quite a bit from person to person, so it’s important to work with a reputable, detail-oriented Implantologist, like Dr. Mike! When the healing process is over and your new crowns are placed, your dental implants should be virtually undetectable from your natural teeth.
How implants are matched to natural teeth
Some implants require more attention to detail. For instance, if you’re replacing any of your front teeth, an exact match is more important than if you were missing a back molar.
Many dental implants use porcelain to mimic the look of natural teeth. Your implants may be entirely porcelain, or porcelain fused to metal. Porcelain is a popular choice thanks to its semi-translucency: it catches and reflects light similar to the way our regular teeth do.
To ensure that your new implant looks and feels natural, Dr. Mike will take an impression of your mouth. This ensures that your implants fit precisely. Then we’ll choose the right color and shade to match your other teeth. Your implants may even contain the tiny ridges and waves present on natural teeth, adding to their realistic appearance.
Can implant color be changed?
Dental implants can provide a very close match to natural teeth, with certain limitations. First, dental implants cannot be whitened. They’re made of non-porous material, which ensures they don’t stain as easily as the rest of your teeth—and they won’t whiten the same way, if at all.
If you’re dissatisfied with your current tooth color, have your teeth whitened before you begin the implant process. The only way to adjust an implant’s color is to replace the crown. In other words, if you try whitening your teeth after you receive implants, there’s a good chance your implant crowns will not match the rest of your teeth.
Can dental implants be replaced?
Implant crowns are durable, but may show signs of wear after many, many years. If an implant crown needs to be replaced, it is a good time to assess if your natural teeth have discolored or whether the old implant crown shade is still right for you.
Our teeth can change color due to worn enamel and staining, even with impeccable oral hygiene. If your crown(s) need to be replaced due to wear, you can decide whether you’d prefer to whiten your natural teeth, or stay with the current shade. If you need a new implant crown and your natural teeth have darkened, it would be a great time to whiten your natural teeth and then Dr. Mike can match the implant crown accordingly. Dr. Mike will help you determine which approach is right for your lifestyle and personal preferences.
Dr. Mike and the staff at Cleveland Implant Institute will ensure your implants look amazing, and function just like your natural teeth. Contact us today to learn more.