Although dental implants are more common in older people, it does not mean that young adults are not candidates. As long as some conditions are met, those in their late teens and early twenties can still opt for dental implants to permanently replace teeth that were lost due to disease or trauma. Implants are generally not recommended for patients who have not received all their permanent teeth.
What Age Can I Get Dental Implants?
Because tooth loss is usually more significant with older people, implants and other forms of tooth replacement are associated with the elderly. Most dentists do not recommend implants for those who do not yet have all their permanent teeth due to potential complications resulting from the way teeth move around as permanent teeth emerge. There are some exceptions to these guidelines. An implant can sometimes be used as an anchor for orthodontic treatment in an adolescent.
Why Are Dental Implants Not Appropriate For Younger People?
As baby teeth are lost and permanent teeth arrive, teeth shift and move in the mouth, making room for new and larger teeth that will settle into the proper final position. This is a natural process. The final permanent teeth do not come in until the late teens, with the wisdom teeth often arriving even later into the early twenties and teeth will continue to move until this process is complete.
If a tooth is missing, other teeth will naturally move into the empty space, sometimes leading to misalignment and long term problems. In adults, this problem can be avoided by replacing the missing tooth with an implant. In a younger person, though, an implant impedes the adjustment process because it is permanently secured in the jawbone and does not move.
Consultation
If you feel that you could be a candidate for dental implants, call Prestige Oral Surgery today for a consultation at 732-297-7000.
