Why Wait Until Jaw Growth Is Complete?
The jaw bone continues to grow until the late teens. Placing an implant before growth is complete is like placing a fixed post in growing concrete — the implant stays in its original position while the surrounding bone and teeth continue to move. This causes the implant to appear to "sink" over time and can result in aesthetic and functional problems that are difficult to correct.
While waiting for jaw growth to complete, a removable partial denture or a space maintainer keeps the gap open and maintains space. This is the standard of care for children and adolescents who lose a permanent tooth.
The Implant Process
Once jaw growth is confirmed (using a wrist X-ray or serial dental X-rays to check bone maturity), the implant placement is planned with a 3D CBCT scan. The titanium implant post is placed under local anaesthesia in a minor surgical procedure. After a healing period of 3 to 6 months, during which the implant fuses to the bone (osseointegration), a crown is placed on top. The result is a permanent tooth replacement that looks and functions like a natural tooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not yet — but we can plan for it. We will place a temporary solution now (a removable flipper or space maintainer), take baseline records, and schedule the implant for when jaw growth is confirmed complete. We see many patients in this situation and manage the whole journey from loss of the tooth to final implant restoration.
We assess jaw maturity using a hand-wrist X-ray (to check bone growth plates) and by comparing serial dental records over time to confirm no further growth has occurred. There is no single age that guarantees completion — we verify it objectively before implant placement.