Is my daughter too young for dental implants?

[Remi]

Hi

My daughter has got two of her incisors genetically missing and her dentist has fitted her with a denture for the past few years. She is 16 years old now and finds it hard to smile with her denture being in her mouth and is constantly worried that the denture might fall out of her mouth in public. Her dentist says that she cant have dental implants until she is in her twenties. I wonder if you think she is too young for dental implants and if so, when do you think she can have dental implants? If she cant have dental implants until she is 20, does she have any other options than dentures?

[Dr Vahid Motahar]

Hi,

Thank you for your question.

It ia not advisable to consider having dental implants until the body has completed its growth. In other words if a n implant is placed in the jaw bone before the the growth of the jaw is completed, as the bone changes shape and size and moves, it can change the implant position.

To avoid such complications it is best to consider having dental implants at an age when the skeletal growth has been completed and hence dentist suggesting after the age of 18 for the girls.

Alternative to denture may be sticky or Maryland bridges will be the alternative for patients that too young for dental implants.

We would be very happy to see you daughter and assess her case and provide her with the best options and treatments.If she has completed her skeletal growth it may be even possible to consider implants sooner.