Yes, kids can get dental implants. This dental treatment, however, is for kids who have already
had their milk teeth removed or have reached a certain age. Generally, the bone structure of
females typically mature faster than males. The minimum age for dental implants for girls is 15
years while 17 years for boys.
Dental implants placed in young patients may impede jaw production since their jaws are not fully
developed. Dental implants lack a functioning periodontal ligament since they are directly
placed into the bone. That’s why they do not move as easily as natural teeth do.
At this age, the jaw has already finished growing to the point where dental implants won't stunt
jaw growth. This is why dental implant surgeries are not recommended for children.
Alternatives To Dental Implants
So, what happens when a child is under 15 years of age? Should the child live with gaps between
their teeth until he or she reaches of age? Not many teens would like to go about life with
missing teeth especially on the front, incisors. In such cases, they may wish to pursue other
alternatives. Here are some of the available options:
- Removable Partial Dentures: This is a denture for a partially edentulous
patient. They are so well-fitted that nobody will know if he or she has a missing tooth.
- Dental Brigdes: A bridge
implant is a false tooth that is held in place on either side of the gap. They are
the perfect option for children who have missing teeth and are permanent. Even though
bridges can be made of gold, they are mostly porcelain. One can choose either a fixed bridge
or a resin-bonded bridge. For the fixed bridge, there is much preparation whereby the teeth
beside the gap have to be grounded down so that a crown can be placed to support the bridge.
Resin-bonded bridges don’t require the same amount of preparation.
- Dental Braces: Braces can be another way of going about it. If braces were
already on the table initially before the tooth got avulsed, you can still go on with the
plans. A porcelain tooth can be attached to an orthodontic wire to fill the gap. The tooth
will be at the exact position in the dental structure to where the avulsed tooth was. This
is to completely block the damaged tooth while the child wears braces.
- Space Maintainers: When baby teeth fall out, your child will have a
permanent tooth grow to replace the old one, filling the gap. However, things may not go as
planned. Space maintainers may come in handy. These are appliances made by either a dentist
or an orthodontist and contain metal or acrylic materials. They may be removable or
cemented. Space maintainers help ensure that the space left by the milk tooth is still
available for the incoming permanent tooth.
Milk teeth are important for the development of adult teeth. They help to position the way the
jaws will grow and how much space will be filled by permanent teeth. If not properly shaped
(e.g., if the space left by the milk teeth is closed), the permanent tooth may cause damage to
surrounding gums and bone structure. The child may then need to go for an orthodontal
surgery.
