As a teen, tooth loss can feel pretty awful. An unwanted smile gap may make you anxious among friends. So, you might want to fill it quickly with a dental implant. That said, this isn’t a good choice – the answer to “Can teens get dental implants?” is “no.” If you want more details, your Deer Park dentist is happy to explain. Here’s a primer on dental implants, why teens shouldn’t get them, and better alternatives for non-adult patients.
What are Dental Implants?
Put simply, dental implants are special titanium screws. Dentists set them in your jaw to act as replacement tooth roots, as titanium is completely biocompatible. From there, the screws are capped with full restorations (usually a crown, denture, or bridge).
Unlike other prosthetics, dental implants fuse with your jawbone. Bone tissue grows around them after they’re placed in your jaw sockets. Therefore, they become permanent parts of your mouth. This setup ensures the implants remain stable and secure over time. In other words, you can trust they won’t slip around or fall out.
Why Teens Shouldn’t Get Implants
To be honest, teens aren’t good implant candidates; their bodies can’t support the prosthetics.
You see, teenagers are still growing and developing. That means their jaws haven’t reached full size or density. Because of this, an implant placed in a still-growing jawbone will likely fall out. Thus, dentists prefer to wait until a patient’s bones are fully developed. Doing so greatly improves the odds of an implant surgery’s success.
Are There Any Alternatives?
Even if implants are a no-go, teens needn’t worry. Most dentists offer other restorative services as well.
For example, a minor could try dentures. This option is a set of artificial teeth attached to a gum-colored base. When used, it’ll fill your smile gaps and restore your full grin. Note, though, that a denture is often removable. A patient can take it out of their mouth as needed.
Alternatively, a dentist may suggest a dental bridge to a teen patient. This appliance literally “bridges” the gap between missing teeth. To do so, it relies on a pontic (i.e., artificial tooth) attached to dental crowns on either side. That design means a bridge is a fixed restoration; only a dentist can remove it.
The bottom line is that dental implants aren’t a good option for teens with missing teeth – but many other ideal solutions exist. That said, see your dental provider about the above alternatives!
About the Practice
Deer Park Family Dental is based in Deer Park, TX. Led by its amazing dentists, our practice strives to give each patient a dreamy smile. We thus offer preventive, cosmetic, and restorative options, as well as emergency dentistry. Naturally, our office also provides great dental implants and other dental prosthetics. For more information or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (352)-332-6725.