When is the right age for a child to have an implant placed?

Kids are kids. They play a lot, run a lot, hurt themselves a lot.

Sometimes injuries in children result in a tooth loss. There are also cases of children that are missing some teeth congenitally.

Teenagers and their parents, are often concerned about the right time the tooth may be replaced with a new one and keep asking if they can have a dental implant placed as soon, as possible.

Truth is, that we can not place dental implants in a child.

Implant placement, may take place only when the growth has ended.

This usually happens, around the 18th year of life, usually quicker in girls compared to boys.

Since people have different growth rhythms, it is very important to be certain that the growth has ended.

For that purpose, a special hand x-ray can be very helpful. It allows us to see if a certain small bone has been fully formed and decide accordingly.

However the later the young adult can have the implant placed the better it is. Nowadays we prefer implant placement around the age of 23-25.

The reason for not placing implants earlier, is that implants remain stable after their placement,  while the jaw bone and the teeth may move if a child’s development is not finished. This will result, in an implant that will not fit to the rest of the mouth, usually causing aesthetic problems

In the meantime, the missing tooth can be restored with long lasting temporary solutions.like a Maryland bridge or a removable acrylic prosthesis.