If your teenager has damaged a tooth and you worry that it's going to die and need to be pulled, there are some things that you need to talk with your dentist about right away. For your teen, the best investment and most practical option may be a dental implant. There are different considerations to make to determine whether this is the right option for your teen and what is best for their oral health. Ask your oral health professional about the following things.

Is Your Teen Old Enough for a Dental Implant?

The age of your teen will impact whether they can get an implant. The bones have to be done growing for the implant to fuse properly into the bone. This can happen earlier for girls than boys, and your oral health professional will want to do x-rays, and they may want you to wait. If they want you to wait, you may just wait for the tooth to die and then be removed, and then it may be time for the implant. A temporary piece can be put in as well.

What Is Best Long Term?

The dental implant is the best option long term, because this one-time investment could last a lifetime in your teen's mouth in place of the dead tooth. Implants do the following:

• Are resistant to decay and cavities
• Protect the gum tissue from damage
• Are easy to brush and clean
• Look natural for cosmetic benefits
• Feel natural inside the mouth

These are just some of the benefits your teen will have if you choose to get them an implant instead of going with a bridge or veneer. You also don't have to damage any of the other teeth that weren't injured in the accident in your teen's mouth, which is ideal to preserve their healthy smile.

If you don't want to put something inside your teen's mouth that isn't going to feel natural, that will look out of place or fake, or that you worry they won't be able to maintain in the future, then implants are the best possible option. You want to take your teen to the dentist to get x-rays of the injury right away, and then you will most likely have to see an oral surgeon if you want to have a synthetic implant put in. This will be custom fitted and fit perfectly to compliment your teen's great style. To learn more, contact a dental office like Burgess Dental.