Missing teeth can have a negative impact on your dental health as well as your sense of self. While dental bridges and dentures are helpful, many people have turned to dental implants to treat tooth loss at our Irving, TX dental care center. These artificial tooth roots offer strength and stability that matches natural teeth, allowing people to bite, chew, and smile with confidence.
Not everyone is an ideal candidate for dental implants. In some cases, your age may prevent you from having dental implants placed. We’d like take a moment to answer the following questions you may have: “Can I be too young for dental implants?” and “How old is too old for dental implants?”
HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Obviously, dental implants are not a viable treatment option for babies and toddlers given that they are still growing and don’t have their permanent teeth (let alone their baby teeth) yet. In fact, children, pre-teens, and even most teenagers are poor candidates for dental implants, even if they’ve lost permanent teeth due to injury or illness.
The reason for this? It’s all about maturation. A young patient’s body is still growing and changing, and these changes won’t stop until they’ve reached adulthood. If dental implants are placed too early, they may not be effective in a few years since the jawbone has grown or expanded. Dental implants should be reserved for adults since changes associated with natural maturation will not affect them.
WHAT AGE IS THE YOUNGEST FOR GETTING DENTAL IMPLANTS?
The very youngest a person would be considered for dental implants is around the age of 18. Even then, oral surgeons and dentists might recommend waiting for a patient to reach his or her early 20s before dental implants are an option.
Everyone’s different and grow at different rates. If you’re missing teeth and are at least 18 years of age, your dentist can determine if dental implants are ideal for you now or a few years down the road. The main focus will be on timing the procedure so the dental implants wind up lasting you a lifetime.
CAN YOU BE TOO OLD FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Technically, the answer is no.
Dental implants can be placed in patients who are 70, 80, even 90 years old. The majority of people who get dental implants are 65 years old or older.
While there’s no upper age limit on dental implant candidacy, the effects of aging could make dental implants a poor option for you.
FACTORS THAT CAN AFFECT CANDIDACY LATER IN LIFE
People who are older may have health issues that make oral surgery a potential risk to overall wellness. Rather than risk a medical complication, it may be better to opt for a non-surgical approach to treating tooth loss.
In addition, if a person has been missing teeth for many years, they may not have sufficient bone density or gum tissue in place to support a dental implant. Grafting surgeries can make these people candidates for dental implants, but these augmentation procedures add months to the treatment process, which may deter some patients from considering implants.
FIND OUT IF DENTAL IMPLANTS ARE RIGHT FOR YOU
If you are interested in dental implants and would like to find out if they are an ideal option for you, we encourage you to contact the team at Radiance Dentistry today. No matter your age, we’ll offer an honest assessment of your potential candidacy.