Implants · single question

A patient received an implant on tooth #8 at age 15. Several years later, tooth #9 appears 2 mm longer than the implant crown. What happened?

The patient's face continued to grow (alveolar bone developed), but the osseointegrated implant remained fixed
The implant failed and was replaced at a more apical position
The crown on #8 fractured and lost coronal height
The implant on #8 migrated apically

Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. The patient's face continued to grow (alveolar bone developed), but the osseointegrated implant remained fixed

A. Correct. Dental implants are fixed to bone and do not erupt or reposition with continued facial growth. When an implant is placed in a young patient (before full skeletal maturity), continued VERTICAL ALVEOLAR BONE GROWTH causes adjacent natural teeth to erupt slightly with the growing alveolus — making them appear LONGER relative to the fixed implant. This is why implant placement is generally delayed until full skeletal maturity.
B. Incorrect. Implant re-placement at a more apical position would not explain why the ADJACENT natural tooth appears longer.
C. Incorrect. Crown fracture would make the implant crown appear SHORTER, not make the adjacent natural tooth appear longer.
D. Incorrect. Osseointegrated implants are ANKYLOSED to bone — they do not migrate or move with growth.

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