Sometimes adolescents lose a tooth early due to a sports injury, playing around or for other reasons. When thinking of a tooth loss, an implant can come to mind as a solution. Unfortunately, dental implants should only be used as a treatment once the jaw has finished growing.
Adolescents are still in their growing stages until about age 17 for boys and age 14 for girls. Once reaching these ages, the implant would not impact jaw growth.
Dental implants are placed directly into the bone of the jaw and do not move easily. A temporary solution for a missing tooth can be a denture consisting of one tooth to fill the gap. Since many teens/adolescents are self-conscious, we want to provide a solution that will make them feel better. Once jaw growth is fully complete, a dental implant can be used.
If you have any questions about the timing of implants or missing teeth, call Maple Family Dentistry today!