Adverse Effects of Implants in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Objective: To determine the evidence on the adverse effects of placing dental implants in healthy growing children. Study design: A systematic search was conducted in five electronic databases: PubMed, Ovid, Cochrane, EBSCO host, ProQuest. Studies on implants placed in children below the age of 19 years, with loss of tooth either due to trauma or caries were included, whereas, studies on mini implants and implants placed due to congenital absence of teeth were excluded. The articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were analyzed based on the predetermined criteria of success. Results: A total of 8 publications fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All the included articles were case reports/series, involving a total of 16 implants (15 maxillary, one mandibular) in 11 adolescents (7 boys and 4 girls). The age of implant placement ranged between ten to 17 years with a mean age of 13.4 years and the follow up period, 4.5 months to 13 years. Pain, paresthesia, mobility or peri-implant radiolucency was not reported in any case report, indicating good integration. Radiographic crestal bone loss, probing depth and implant esthetics were not mentioned. The infraocclusion was not reported in 5 cases (age: 11-17 years, follow up: 4.5 months-two years), however, it was an adverse effect in 6 cases (age: ten-17 years, follow up: three-13 years). Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to contradict the placement of dental implants in healthy growing children; the only reported adverse event is infraocclusion, the management of which too is discussed. However, as all the data is from case reports, the result should be interpreted with caution. Therefore, well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to address this gap in the literature.