Dental implants in children: A multidisciplinary perspective for long-term success

Congenital hypodontia or trauma is a frequent cause of loss of teeth in children. The absence of teeth leads to loss of function and lack of normal alveolar growth, along with unpleasant esthetics that hamper the psychosocial development of the young child. Traditionally, the management of tooth loss in the young child is done by conservative means. None of those methods of treatment are completely satisfactory and have their own drawbacks. Dental implants in a young child would be an ideal mode of treatment for the absence of teeth. One of the main deterring factors for implant placement in children is the impending growth. Growth in the maxilla and mandible does not happen uniformly in one plane. It is multidirectional, occurring in sagittal, vertical, and transverse planes. It does not happen at a fixed pace, slow periods of growth are followed by phases of accelerated growth called the growth spurts. Successful implant treatment in children has been achieved by several clinicians when they incorporated a multidisciplinary approach in their treatment plan. The design and type of implant system used in pediatric patients is also responsible for successful treatment outcome. The purpose of this review is to understand the implications of growth and growth assessment and recommendations for the formulation of the treatment plan in pediatric dental implant patients.