Effects of early placement of a single tooth implant. A case report.

A single tooth implant was placed in a boy aged 12 years and 3 months. The case has been followed for more than 4.5 years. The fixture did not move together with the adjacent teeth as the maxillary growth went on. There was no “loss” of marginal bone on the side of one adjacent tooth where the distance between implant and tooth was appropriate. But a “loss” of marginal bone (measured from the cemento-enamel junction) was noted on the other adjacent tooth where the fixture had been placed 1 too close to the tooth.