Implants - are they safe for seniors?
Dental implants are an excellent restorative dental treatment that replaces lost teeth. Teeth can be lost for several reasons such as trauma or poor dental hygiene, however, a common reason for tooth loss is old age. Often, elderly people tend to use dentures rather than dental implants due to the ease of acquiring them and the cheaper cost. However, this does not mean that dental implants aren’t available for older patients and providing you are healthy and have taken care of your teeth and gums, there should be no reason to not have implants.
Implants can radically change a person’s lifestyle and as they are permanent you don’t need to worry about constantly taking them out like dentures are cleaning them separately. Yet, there are criteria for having implants that all patients must pass regardless of age.
• General Health – people with ongoing cancer treatment would be refused the surgery, as would those who are struggling to control their diabetes.
• Oral Hygiene – if you are suffering from gum disease this would affect the osseointegration process. Gum disease would need to be rectified before the surgery.
• Bone Health – the surgery requires the implantA device specially designed to be placed surgically within or on the mandibular or maxillary bone to be fused to the jawbone. If you have any calcium deficiencies these would need to be investigated.
Additionally, it is worth noting that older patients heal slower than younger ones so the implant process would take longer. Moreover, if you have lost a high proportion of your teeth your dentist may recommend dentures to avoid any unnecessary stress.
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