Anyone could lose a tooth, even young and healthy teenagers! Perhaps your teen suffered an accident, has naturally weak teeth, or other sad circumstances have caused them to have an incomplete smile. Whatever the case, you may wonder what tooth replacement options are available. Can teens get dental implants? This blog post explains what you should know.
Waiting Until Adulthood Is Best
While your teen might be eager to restore their smile ASAP, most dentists advise waiting until early adulthood. The primary reason for this recommendation is that a teenager’s jawbone is still growing. If an implant is placed before the jaw has finished developing, it may not integrate properly and could shift as the bone changes shape. This can result in complications that affect both the appearance and function of the implant. The implants are even at a greater risk of failure.
Dentists prefer to avoid these risks by providing dental implants only for patients whose jawbones have finished developing.
What Is the Minimum Age for Dental Implants?
There is no strict minimum age for dental implants, but dentists look for signs that the jawbone has fully matured. On average, this occurs between the ages of 16 and 18 for girls and 18 to 21 for boys. However, the specific timing may vary depending on the location of the missing tooth and your child’s individual growth pattern. Generally speaking, the upper jaw finishes growing before the lower one.
Your family dentist can use X-rays and other techniques to keep an eye on your teen’s jawbone in order to determine when it may provide a suitable base for dental implants.
Tooth Replacement Options for Teens
While your teen waits to be eligible for dental implants, there are alternative tooth replacement options available. Dental bridges can fill gaps by attaching to neighboring teeth, providing a functional and natural-looking solution. However, they come with a downside; they require that the nearby teeth be modified in order to support the bridge. Partial dentures are another option that can replace one or several missing teeth and can easily be removed for cleaning.
You should also let your dentist know that you wish for your teen to get dental implants in the future. This can affect their care plan. For example, they might recommend that your child undergoes a procedure to preserve the bone at the site of the missing tooth. They can also coach your teen on how to maintain their oral health so they can get dental implants as soon as possible.
Teens are not usually candidates for dental implants, but hopefully, your son or daughter will not have to wait too long before their smile is once again complete and confident!
Meet the Practice
At Willow Run Dental Association, our team is proud to serve families throughout the Auburn area. We offer start-to-finish dental implant services in a welcoming environment. If you are curious about dental implants or want to discuss tooth replacement for your teenage son or daughter, we would be happy to speak with you. Contact our office at 207-352-2825.