Minimum Age or Age Restriction for Dental Implants
Dental implants are one of the most popular choices for tooth replacement in adults as more than 500,000 are having the procedure every year. Are dental implants an option for children of adolescents who have lost permanent teeth due to a traumatic injury or a congenital condition? Can dental implants offer the same permanent solution to them as they do for adults?
When it comes to reviewing if a patient is an ideal candidate for dental implants, the dentist will review their overall health, medical history, oral health, and their age. The combination of all these factors will determine if the dental implant will be successful long term. The dentist will also review the number and location of the missing teeth, the integrity of the jaw bone, and the history of healing from surgeries.
Is there a minimum age for dental implants?
Yes. The patient must have a fully matured skeletal system, or the jaw must be fully developed. While there is not a specific age where this happens in everyone, the patient must no longer have any growth spurts. Placing the implant too soon can interfere with further bone development, compromise their durability, and potentially result in additional complications. With the implant placed before the jaw is fully developed can cause the patient to have bite problems, gaps and spaces between teeth, bone loss in the jaw, and aesthetic changes of the craniofacial region.
As mentioned above, no two people grow or stop growing at the same rate, but the growth usually stops between ages 18 to mid-20s. There are tests the dentist can perform to determine if the jaw is done growing before the dentist moves forward with the dental implant procedure. The dentist can use X-rays and other growth assessments to verify if bone development is 100 percent complete to ensure the highest rate of long-term success for the dental implant.
Interim solutions for younger patients
No matter what age you are, living with a missing or damaged tooth can make for challenging day to day life. There are alternative solutions for young people who are not ready for dental implants. The overall dental implant procedure requires all candidates to be patient in order to enjoy the permanent, natural tooth like dental implant. Some people have to wait for their physical health to improve and other people have to wait to stop growing. Dentists are cautious on either side of dental implants to ensure that risks are minimized and people stay as healthy as possible through the whole process.
Moving forward with dental implants or any replacement option for missing teeth is a win win situation. You are minimizing the problems that come with leaving a space in your mouth where there should be a tooth. Getting dental implants at a young age will help you heal faster and use it for many years to come like your other natural teeth. Minimal risks and maximum results when the jaw bone is matured enough to support the implant.