Agenesis is often identified in the developmental age, during a check-up or an orthodontic assessment, when a permanent tooth does not appear at the expected time or a radiograph confirms its absence. Management in young patients follows a clear principle: not all solutions are suitable for all ages.
Why one waits for the implant
An implant is ankylosed in the bone and does not accompany jaw growth. Placed too early, it would lag behind the natural teeth that keep growing, with a compromised aesthetic and functional result. For this reason the implant is planned at the completion of skeletal development, assessed with clinical and instrumental criteria.
What can be done in the meantime
- Keep the corresponding deciduous tooth, if stable.
- Orthodontics to manage the spaces, preparing closure or opening of the site.
- Temporary aesthetic solutions in cases in the visible zone.
The advantage of planning early
An early diagnosis makes it possible to preserve bone and to choose the best strategy before the loss of a deciduous tooth leads to resorption. When, as an adult, the implant is reached at an atrophic site, managing the bone deficit, including with the graft-free MTM approach, starts from a better baseline.
Related reading
References: PMC5376450; Appl. Sci. 2022, 12, 12252. Informational disclaimer. Author: Dr. Gaetano Calesini.