I’m sixteen and still have baby canine teeth on the top. My mom wants to have them pulled so my other teeth will come in. I’m not too keen on having blank spaces, especially with yearbook pictures coming up. If the grown-up teeth don’t come in can I get dental implants?
Madison
Dear Madison,
Do you see a dentist regularly? I’m quite shocked that your dentist hasn’t dealt with this already. A diagnosis and treatment plan should already have been on the books for this. Personally, I think if you’ve been under the care of a dentist and he hasn’t dealt with it he’s being negligent.
The first thing you need is to get an x-ray to see why your adult canine teeth haven’t come in. There are generally two reasons. One, they’re impacted in which case you would need to have an orthodontist work with you to get them in their proper position.
A second reason would be you have congenitally missing canines. This does happen sometimes, where the adult teeth just never form. In that case, you’d have spaces which need to be dealt with. You’re a little young for dental implants because your jaw is still developing. But, that doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck with blank spaces in your smile.
Options Until You’re Old Enough for Dental Implants
Dental Flipper: This is the least expensive option. It’s a single false tooth that can clip on to your other teeth. It’s meant to be a temporary fix.
Removable Partial Denture: This would last longer and likely feel more comfortable. It will put two false canine teeth which can be slipped onto the arch and fill in the blanks.
Once your jaw is completely developed, which will be after you graduate high school, then dental implants will be a fantastic solution for you. They feel and respond like natural teeth.
Make sure your teeth are the color you want before you get your implant crown crafted. Once the crown is completed, the color can’t be changed. So, once you’re ready to move forward with your dental implants, if you’re going to do teeth whitening, do it then. This may not be necessary for you. You’re young and probably don’t have a lot of staining on your teeth unless you’re a big coffee/tea drinker.
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