What Is the Best Age for Dental Implants?

If you have one or more missing teeth, replacing them is a top priority. Missing teeth make it harder to eat and talk and can impact your confidence in your smile. They also allow your other teeth to shift around in your jaw, which will cause you additional dental problems in the long run.

Dental implants are one of the most popular options for replacing missing teeth. This is because they look and function like your natural teeth. Our staff here at Care Dental Center get a lot of questions about dental implants, especially regarding age. Here are the answers to the most common ones.

Is There a “Best Age” for Dental Implants?

No! The best age to get dental implants is whatever age you are now. You don’t want to wait to replace your missing teeth and continue to suffer from eating difficulties. The longer you wait, the more likely your remaining teeth are to shift out of position. You want to prevent that if possible. Come to our Carson office today for a consultation.

Can I Be Too Old for Dental Implants?

Absolutely not! There’s no upper age limit for dental implants. Elderly patients in their 80s and 90s have gotten them many times. As long as you are healthy enough for the procedures, you can get dental implants and begin experiencing all the benefits of replacing your missing teeth.

The staff here at Care Dental Center is experienced at providing dental implants to older patients and will carefully evaluate you to make certain the procedure is the best option for you to replace your missing teeth. If so, we’ll schedule the procedures. If not, we’ll discuss your other options and provide a recommendation.

How Old Do You Have to Be to Get Dental Implants?

Dental implants aren’t for everyone, and that includes pediatric patients. Teens are still growing, including their skeleton. Jaw structure usually doesn’t finish growing until a person is age 18-20. Dental implants can’t be used until this happens.

In rare cases, a person’s skeleton matures before age 18 or not until the mid-20s. The staff in our Carson office will evaluate you if you’re a teen or young adult patient to see if your jaw has finished developing and you’re a candidate for dental implants. If your jaw isn’t yet mature, we can discuss temporary options to replace your missing tooth or teeth until you’re ready for dental implants.

Does Being Older Make It Harder to Get Dental Implants?

Not at all! Age doesn’t matter when you get dental implants; what does matter is your overall health and your oral health. When you come into the Care Dental Center office for a consultation, our staff will carefully evaluate you to determine if you’re a candidate for dental implants.

We will assess your overall health to determine if you’re healthy enough for the procedure. Installing the dental implant posts is a surgical procedure, so you have to be healthy enough for the surgery. We’ll also evaluate your gum, teeth, and jaw health to see if they’re healthy enough for dental implant procedures.

Finally, we’ll make a recommendation to either proceed with the dental implants or to consider other options. We won’t suggest you get implants if they aren’t right for you!

What Are the Pros of Getting Dental Implants?

Dental implants are the best option for replacing missing teeth for many reasons. Not only do they replace the tooth itself with a functional alternative, but they replace the root as well, which helps to stabilize your jawbone. 

When you get dental implants, you don’t have to worry about removing your implants for cleaning or storage. You don’t have to worry about them falling out at an inopportune time. Dental implants are a permanent solution. 

Dental implants not only replace your missing teeth, but they keep your other teeth from shifting around in your jaw, but they restore complete eating and speaking ability, they prevent your face from sagging, and they restore your confidence in your smile!

What Are the Cons of Getting Dental Implants?

Despite their advantages, dental implants aren’t for everyone. Implanting the post in your jaw is a surgical procedure, and not everyone is a candidate for surgery or wants to have surgery. If you have a condition that affects bone healing or a low bone density, you may not be a candidate for dental implants. You also aren’t a candidate for dental implants if you smoke or have poor oral health.

Another disadvantage of dental implants is that they require multiple appointments. If you want dental implants, you’ll have a series of appointments stretched out over as long as six months. This is necessary to give your jawbone and gums time to heal from the surgery.

Finally, dental implants are more expensive than some of the alternatives. If cost is a consideration for you, dental implants may not be your best choice.

How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?

The cost of dental implants varies greatly depending on the tooth or teeth to be replaced and any other work that needs to be done. Few dental insurance policies will cover dental implants, and those that do usually only cover a fraction of the cost, so you’ll need to plan on paying most of the cost out of pocket.

When you come into our Carson office for your consultation, the staff here at Care Dental Center will go over all the financial information with you and what your insurance will and will not cover. We’ll also be happy to discuss financing options with you.

Ready to Find Out if Dental Implants Are Right for You?

Dental implants are an excellent choice for replacing missing teeth, no matter your age. They act and feel like natural teeth and will both restore functionality and give you a great-looking smile. Care Dental Center has an experienced and professional staff and offers flexible appointments to fit into your busy schedule.

Replace your missing teeth with dental implants today! Call Care Dental Center at (310) 626-0004 to schedule a consultation!