Do Dental Implants Get Cavities?

Losing your teeth due to old age or in an accident or fall doesn’t necessarily doom you to a life of social discomfort. Dental interventions like implants can restore your missing teeth so you can regain your lovely smile, confidence, and chewing ability. Dental implants are small posts that your dentist embeds in your jaw to act as your tooth’s root. 

Dental implants look and feel like natural teeth, so it’s understandable to wonder if they’re as susceptible to dental problems. More specifically, do dental implants get cavities? Below, we’ll discuss whether implants get cavities and how cavities affect these restorations. Let’s dive right in.

Dental Implants and Cavities

Dental implants cannot cause cavities like your natural teeth. Cavities occur when bacteria in your mouth feed on sugars in your mouth and the tooth’s surface. After feeding, the bacteria produce acid as a by-product. This acid corrodes the enamel, forming tiny voids on the tooth that become larger with time. These holes are known as cavities.

Dental Implants are made from an alloy of titanium and aluminum. These are strong metals that are largely unaffected by the acid produced by bacteria. So, while your natural teeth deteriorate when exposed to these acids, dental implants don’t.

How to Take Care of My Dental Implants

While the implants cannot get cavities, the teeth surrounding them definitely can. Having dental implants is not an excuse to neglect your oral hygiene, or eat too much sugary and starchy food. The teeth surrounding the implants can still get cavities and cause dental decay. Here are a couple of ways to take care of your implants and ensure they don't.

• Brush Your Teeth With a Soft-Bristled Brush and Non-Abrasive Fluoride Toothpaste: The easiest way to care for your dental implant is by brushing your teeth twice daily with a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride kills mouth bacteria, preventing bacterial infection and tooth decay. Remember, to brush gently around the implant to avoid damaging the soft tissue near it.
• Avoid Hard and Crunchy Foods for the First Few Weeks After Getting Implants: Biting into hard foods like raw carrots puts excessive pressure on the implants. The excess pressure slows down healing and can cause pain and discomfort. You’ll want to steer clear of hard and crunchy foods for the first few weeks after your dental implant surgery. Do the same for crunchy foods whose fragments can stick to the implant site and cause infection. Avoiding these foods will give the implant enough room to heal appropriately, and prevent complications in the future.

Let Us Handle Your Dental Implants

Dental implants could potentially last a lifetime if you care for your dental health and schedule regular dental checkups. Thankfully, you don’t have to worry about cavities mutilating your expensive implants. However, without proper dental care, you could lose your precious teeth and require even more implants.

Kinard Family Dental utilizes state-of-the-art equipment to ensure you get implants that not only look natural but last for decades and can withstand large bite pressures. Contact us today, and we’ll schedule your dental implant surgery immediately.