Dental Implant: The Beauty of Your Teeth

People of different age groups have significant differences in oral conditions, physical functions, and priority needs (such as aesthetics, functionality, and recovery speed). When choosing dental implants, decisions should be made based on their own characteristics. The key points are categorized by age groups as follows:

I. Adolescents and early youth (under 18 years old): Dental implants are not recommended; priority is given to temporary restoration

Core characteristics:

The jawbone is still in the growth and development stage (especially before the age of 18, the width and height of the jawbone are not yet stable);
Tooth loss is mostly caused by trauma, congenital absence, or orthodontic needs, rather than alveolar bone resorption due to natural aging.

Principles for implantation:

Routine implantation is prohibited: Dental implants are “artificial tooth roots fixed in the bone”. If implanted when the jawbone is not fully developed, the implant will shift with the growth of the jawbone, eventually leading to occlusal disorders, gingival recession, and other problems.
Priority is given to temporary restoration: After tooth loss, removable dentures (such as invisible dentures), fixed bridges (which require grinding adjacent teeth and should be chosen carefully), or orthodontic traction (for congenital tooth loss) can be selected to maintain the tooth gap and chewing function. Evaluation for implantation should be done after the age of 18 when the jawbone development is stable.
Special cases (such as severe functional impairment caused by congenital tooth loss): A joint evaluation by a pediatric dentistry specialist and an implantologist is required, and “staged implantation” (such as first implanting a short implant and replacing it in adulthood) should be used cautiously, but it is rarely applied clinically.

II. Young and middle-aged people (18-60 years old): Priority is given to efficiency and aesthetics, while considering long-term stability

Core characteristics:

Good physical function, low incidence of systemic diseases (such as diabetes and heart disease), and strong surgical tolerance;
Relatively good alveolar bone conditions (short tooth loss time, less bone resorption);
Priority needs: Aesthetics (such as social image) for anterior tooth loss, chewing efficiency (such as normal diet) for posterior tooth loss, and high sensitivity to treatment cycles (hoping for “rapid restoration”).

Suggestions for implantation:

Key points of preoperative evaluation:

Oral CT examination of alveolar bone volume (most do not require bone grafting);
Screening for periodontal disease (juvenile periodontitis is mostly caused by local plaque accumulation, which does not affect implantation after treatment);
If you have a smoking habit (more than 10 cigarettes per day), you need to quit smoking 2 weeks in advance (to reduce the risk of postoperative infection).

Recommended implantation schemes:

Routine implantation: Suitable for most people (with good bone conditions). After implant placement, wait 3-6 months for osseointegration, then install the crown. The total cycle is 3-6 months, with a success rate of over 95%.
Immediate implantation/immediate loading: Suitable for single anterior/posterior tooth loss (such as immediate implant placement after tooth extraction) or those with excellent bone conditions (such as anterior tooth loss due to trauma), which can shorten the treatment cycle to 1-3 months and avoid secondary trauma.
Anterior tooth loss: Priority is given to “all-ceramic abutment + all-ceramic crown” to avoid metal discoloration (such as titanium alloy abutment may cause gingival bluing) and restore the transparency and color of natural teeth.

Material selection:

Implant: Mid-range or high-end brands (such as German BEGO, Swiss ITI) can be chosen according to the budget, with emphasis on surface treatment technology (such as “sandblasted and acid-etched” surface to accelerate osseointegration).
Crown: All-ceramic crown is a must for anterior teeth (aesthetics first); for posterior teeth, high-strength all-ceramic crown (such as zirconia material, which can withstand chewing force) or porcelain-fused-to-metal crown (cost-effective) can be selected.

Matters needing attention:

Avoid “excessively pursuing speed”: If the bone condition is average (such as slight resorption of alveolar bone after tooth extraction), do not force immediate implantation, otherwise it may lead to implant loosening;
Postoperative maintenance: Oral hygiene habits vary greatly in this age group. It is necessary to persist in using dental floss and oral irrigators to clean around the implant to avoid peri-implantitis caused by plaque accumulation.

III. Elderly people (over 60 years old): Priority is given to safety and functionality, while considering physical tolerance

Core characteristics:

High incidence of systemic diseases (such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease), so surgical risks need to be evaluated with emphasis;
Poor alveolar bone conditions (long tooth loss time, obvious bone resorption, especially in those with full-mouth tooth loss);
Priority needs: For posterior tooth loss, attention is paid to “being able to eat soft food/ordinary meals”; for anterior tooth loss, attention is paid to “not affecting speech”. Sensitivity to treatment cycles is low, but tolerance to surgical trauma (such as pain and recovery period) is poor.

Suggestions for implantation:

Key points of preoperative evaluation:

Systemic health screening: Hypertension should be controlled below 140/90 mmHg, diabetes should have a fasting blood glucose <7 mmol/L, and those taking long-term anticoagulants (such as aspirin) need to stop taking them 3-5 days in advance (as directed by the doctor);
Evaluation of alveolar bone volume: Most need bone grafting (such as local bone grafting) or “short implants” (for insufficient bone height). For those with full-mouth tooth loss, priority is given to evaluating the “allon4/6 immediate loading” technology (to reduce bone grafting).

Recommended implantation schemes:

Simplified version of routine implantation: For those with single/a few tooth loss and acceptable bone conditions, local anesthesia is used for surgery (with small trauma), and the osseointegration period can be extended to 6 months (bone healing is slower in the elderly).
Allon4/6 immediate loading: For those with full-mouth/half-mouth tooth loss, only 4-6 implants need to be placed (to avoid a large number of bone grafts), and temporary crowns can be worn 1-3 days after surgery to restore basic chewing function, which is suitable for the elderly who cannot tolerate long-term treatment.
Avoid complex surgeries: If the alveolar bone is severely resorbed (bone height <5mm), “multiple bone grafts” (with large trauma and slow recovery) are not recommended. Priority is given to “combined restoration of implants and removable dentures” (such as implant-supported overdentures, which balance stability and comfort).

Material selection:

Implant: Priority is given to brands with rough surfaces and strong osseointegration ability (such as Swedish Nobel Biocare, Korean Dentium). The elderly have weak bone healing ability, so implants need to “integrate with bone faster”;
Crown: For posterior teeth, high-strength porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns (such as cobalt-chromium alloy inner crown, which is moderately priced and wear-resistant) are selected; for anterior teeth, ordinary all-ceramic crowns can be chosen (without pursuing extreme aesthetics, focusing on lightness);
Abutment: Titanium alloy abutment is selected (with high strength, suitable for the dispersion of chewing force in the elderly), avoiding all-ceramic abutment (slightly brittle, which may break if biting hard objects).

Matters needing attention:

Minimize surgical trauma: Choose experienced doctors (to reduce surgical time) and adopt minimally invasive implantation technology (incision <3mm, no need for suture) to reduce the risk of postoperative swelling and pain;
Simplify postoperative maintenance: The hand flexibility of the elderly may decline. It is recommended to choose crown shapes that are “easy to clean” (such as smooth surfaces) and equip with oral irrigators (easy to operate). Regular oral cleaning should be assisted by family members.

Summary: Core logic for different age groups

Age group	Core principle	Key decision points
Under 18	Wait for jawbone development, prioritize temporary restoration	Avoid implantation, use removable dentures to maintain gaps
18-60 years old	Prioritize efficiency and aesthetics, consider long-term stability	Prefer immediate implantation/routine implantation, choose all-ceramic crowns for anterior teeth
Over 60 years old	Prioritize safety and functionality, reduce surgical trauma	Evaluate systemic diseases, prefer allon4 for full-mouth tooth loss, simplify maintenance

Common reminder: Regardless of age, the premise of dental implantation is “oral and systemic conditions allow”. It is necessary to first clarify the adaptability through oral CT, blood routine, blood glucose and other examinations, and then the implantologist will formulate a personalized plan – “the one that suits you is the best”.