If you have teenage children, you have probably encountered the ‘growing pains’ of adolescence. During puberty, the jaw and teeth are still in the growing stages and growth does not stop until the late teen years. Males can continue to experience growth through their early 20s. Since the jaw is still growing, tooth loss during this time can be problematic. Even though many teenagers would prefer to have a dental implant tooth replacement procedure to restore their smile, most dentists will recommend waiting until the jaw has fully developed to install a dental implant. The upper jaw may still be moving outward and downward, so the accompanying teeth will go with it. Implants placed before the jaw bone has fully grown can cause several oral health problems throughout adulthood.

Restoring Smiles in Teens and Young Adults

Many people lose their teeth to tooth decay, an injury, or have some type of developmental abnormality. Most periodontists and dentists advise against replacing missing teeth in teenagers with dental implants because the jaw bone has not fully grown and placing dental implants too soon can cause jaw problems down the road. Still, dental implants have a high success rate and are a preferred tooth replacement option for adults with missing teeth in Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Montreal.

Even though teenagers will have to wait for dental implants, there are other tooth replacement options available during the transition period. If you have a teen that needs a tooth replacement procedure, schedule a consultation in Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Montreal with Dr. Yazbeck, general dentist to discuss different treatment options today!