Helping a Young Patient with Hypodontia Smile with Confidence

I was so delighted to finish the treatment this week for a lovely young patient we’ve been providing dental implants for. She was one of many people born with a dental condition called hypodontia.

Hypodontia means a person is born with one or more missing teeth. It’s a common congenital condition, often genetic, and it can affect a person’s smile, eating, speech, and even bone growth. Hypodontia is more common than many people realise, affecting up to 10% of the population. In this case, the patient was missing both upper lateral incisors.

She previously had been living with a partial denture to replace the missing teeth. As it wasn’t fixed in place and could feel loose, as is often the case with dentures, she eventually lost it. Even before that, she wasn’t happy with the denture and wanted something she didn’t have to take in and out. Being young, she found it uncomfortable having missing teeth and wanted a solution that felt more natural and secure. What she really wanted was a long-lasting option and a smile she could feel confident with every day.

The patient came to us having already decided that dental implants were the right choice for her.

Treatment we carried out:

• Dental implants to replace the missing upper lateral incisors
• Tooth whitening to brighten the smile
• Airflow cleaning for a fresh, healthy mouth

The image below shows the care and attention we gave to making sure the gum contours were even and natural – the key to a perfect result!

The results were fantastic, and the patient and I were both absolutely delighted. Seeing her reaction was a reminder of why we do what we do. Knowing she now has a smile she can enjoy for the rest of her life, with so many years ahead of her, made this case especially rewarding.

If you have missing teeth, whether due to hypodontia or tooth loss later in life, dental implants could be a great option for you. If you’d like to find out more, we’re always happy to talk through your options and see what might work best for your smile.