Implants in Adolescents: Clinical Outcomes After Growth-Pattern-Adapted Implant Placement

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Surgery
• Orthodontics

Background:

• Dental implants in adolescents are controversial due to ongoing facial growth.
• A growth-pattern-adapted concept aims to mitigate esthetic and functional issues.
• This study evaluates implants placed during adolescence with a focus on esthetics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the esthetic outcome of dental implants placed in adolescents using a growth-pattern-adapted concept.
• To assess secondary outcomes including implant survival, peri-implant health, and patient satisfaction.
• To determine the feasibility of anterior maxillary implant placement during adolescence.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective evaluation of 305 patients (612 implants) for primary survival.
• Clinical re-examination of 68 anterior maxillary implants in 50 patients (mean age 16.2 years).
• Assessment of esthetic outcomes using the Pink Esthetic Score (PES) and evaluation of vertical discrepancies.

Main Results:

• Overall primary implant survival was 93.8% (97.7% for tooth loss, 92.3% for agenesis).
• No cases of peri-implantitis were observed in the follow-up cohort, with high patient satisfaction.
• Favorable esthetic outcomes (PES: 12.0 ± 1.1) were noted, though vertical discrepancies occurred in 41.2% of implants.

Conclusions:

• The growth-pattern-adapted implant placement met esthetic thresholds in adolescents.
• High primary implant survival, stable peri-implant health, and patient satisfaction support this approach.
• Feasibility of anterior maxillary implant placement during adolescence is supported by these findings.