journal article·2026-07-09Open access

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

Felix Tetsch, Milan Stoilov, Dominik Kraus, Michael Marder, Jan Tetsch, Norbert Enkling

Abstract

(1) Background: Dental implants in adolescents remain controversial. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the esthetic outcome of implants placed during adolescence using a growth-pattern-adapted concept, with implant survival, peri-implant health, and patient satisfaction as secondary outcomes. (2) Materials and methods: Primary implant survival was retrospectively evaluated based on treatment records in 305 patients (612 implants) affected by tooth loss or congenital tooth agenesis. A subgroup of 68 anterior maxillary implants (50 patients, mean age at implantation: 16.2 ± 2.3 years; range: 12–20) were clinically re-examined after a mean follow-up of 92.4 ± 61.2 months (range: 36–288). (3) Results: Primary implant survival was 93.8% overall (tooth loss: 97.7%; tooth agenesis: 92.3%). The clinical follow-up cohort showed no cases of peri-implantitis and patient satisfaction was high. Anterior maxillary implants demonstrated favorable esthetic outcomes (Pink Esthetic Score [PES]: 12.0 ± 1.1), with females exhibiting significantly higher scores than males. Vertical discrepancies between the implant crown and the contralateral tooth were observed in 41.2% of implants (infraocclusion: 32.4%; supraocclusion: 8.8%). They were significantly associated with tooth loss, non-mesofacial growth patterns and younger age at implantation, without significant influence on PES. (4) Conclusions: The growth-pattern-adapted implant placement met the predefined esthetic threshold and resulted in high primary implant survival, stable peri-implant health, and high satisfaction, supporting its feasibility for anterior maxillary implant placement during adolescence.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: dental development and anomalies · Dental Trauma and Treatments · Dental Implant Techniques and Outcomes

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Reconstructive Dentistry and Gerodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland

Department of Cranio and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany

Dr. Tetsch and Colleagues, 48151 Münster, Germany

Department of Prosthodontics, Preclinical Education and Dental Materials Science, University Hospital Bonn, 53111 Bonn, Germany

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