Missing teeth are a bummer at any age, but especially as a teenager. Young people can knock a tooth out in a wide variety of ways, leaving them and their families desperate to replace it as quickly as possible.
If you’re in this situation, you may have heard that dental implants are a great way to replace missing teeth. That’s true, but in the case of teenagers, most professionals would tend to recommend against getting them. If you want to know why, and what tooth replacement options are available for teens, here’s a guide that may be able to help you.
Why Can’t Teenagers Get Dental Implants?
Dental implants are placed surgically inside the jaw and depend on the stability of the jawbone for support. Teenagers’ mouths are still growing, so if you place an implant in a certain spot, it’s possible that the jaw could grow away from it, causing it to fall out.
Getting a dental implant is an intricate process, so rather than go through everything twice, most dentists would rather wait until the jaw is fully developed. For some people that could be as young as 18, while others will have to wait until early adulthood.
How Can Teenagers Replace Their Teeth?
Besides dental implants, there are two things that you can do to replace a single tooth.
Partial Dentures
The first is a set of partial dentures. This prosthetic, designed to simulate a natural tooth, clips onto the surrounding teeth and can be removed for cleaning. These dentures aren’t permanently affixed to the teeth and are relatively inexpensive, which makes them a great stopgap for teenagers who plan to get a dental implant when they reach adulthood.
Dental Bridge
A dental bridge is an artificial tooth sandwiched between two dental crowns that are adhered to the teeth. Dental bridges can’t be removed, meaning that you can clean them along with the rest of your teeth and don’t have to take them out before bed.
However, it’s also worth noting that bridges require your dentist to grind down a few of the surrounding teeth, which means that they’ll be permanently affected by the treatment.
In either case, teenagers don’t have to suffer a missing tooth for long. There are multiple great options at their disposal to hold them over until they can get dental implants in adulthood.
About Our Practice
At Sommers Family Dentistry, we work hard to ensure that you and your family can get the high-quality dental care that you deserve. To us, that means combining the latest in dental technology with an impeccable chairside manner that can put our patients at ease. We treat patients of all ages, meaning that you and your loved ones can all the dental care they could need in one location.
If you have any questions about dental implants, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (419) 668-3606.
