Dental Implants For Older Patients

How implants benefit a wide range of people, including those more advanced in years.

It is a fact of life that as we grow older, it takes its toll on our bodies. Our eyesight and hearing are often not what they used to be and the same can sometimes be said for our teeth too. Even if we have looked after our teeth really well, with diligent cleaning and seeing the dentist regularly, the sheer fact that we have lived longer, means that issues are more likely to arise, often caused by wear and tear or even accidents.

Traditionally, teeth that were lost were replaced with dentures. We have all seen the comedic sketches of false teeth flying from the mouths of older people. While dentures rarely fit this badly, they can cause problems with soreness of the gums and movement in the mouth. This latter problem can sometimes cause issues with speech and eating. As we get older, it becomes more important that we eat healthily and, increasingly these days, people socialise much later into their life than has been the case in the past and the last thing you would want when socialising is for your dentures to start moving in your mouth, potentially causing embarrassment.

These problems aren’t inevitable though and they can be eliminated by having dental implants placed instead of dentures. In today’s SG Dental and Implant Centre blog, we will take a look at how these can be used for more ‘mature’ patients.

A brief overview

Dental implants are, in effect, an artificial tooth root that is placed into the jawbone and allowed to fuse with the bone. This ensures that it is held securely in place. Onto the implant, a crown can then be attached via an abutment. This three part treatment then provides as realistic a replacement tooth as possible, and one that will be strong and stable for many years to come, with good quality aftercare.

Dental implants are for all ages and not just younger people looking for aesthetic improvements to their smile. The practical advantages of implants over dentures should not be underestimated for older people and we will look at that shortly. In the meantime, let us take a look at age specific issues surrounding implant placement for older patients at our Burton dental practice.

Bone loss

The biggest issue around placing dental implants in older patients tends to be bone loss which is more common at this stage of our life. While it can occur in younger people, it is more common as we become older. As implants are placed into this bone, it is essential that a healthy bone structure is available to do so.

In order to assess this, we will need to take x-rays and scans to determine if you are a suitable candidate for this treatment. Many older patients will still have sufficient bone structure but it is important to check. For those that don’t, this doesn’t automatically mean that you will have to live with dentures. There are prior treatments available, such as a bone graft or sinus lift that can enable the treatment to go ahead. We will discuss these in more detail if this is the situation with you.

What are the advantages for older people?

We have already mentioned the fact that implants do not move around in the mouth and should last for twenty years or more if cared for correctly. The following are some of the other benefits that older people can expect.

Better chewing

With dentures, you may well find that you start selecting your food choices based on what you feel comfortable chewing. While, for example, choices such as salmon may still be very tasty, many older people regret that they feel unable to chew certain foods such as steak and other red meats. With dental implants, this will be no problem at all.

Bone preservation

Bone loss occurs when a tooth has been lost as the body uses its resources elsewhere. This can cause facial shape changes that cause us to look older than we really are. Teeth implants being placed into the jawbone prevent this from happening and help us to retain a more ‘youthful’ appearance for longer.

Speech

Dentures can cause changes in the way that we speak and can mean some adjustments are necessary in the way that we talk. Implants will allow you to carry on as before and should cause no speech issues at all.

Convenience

Dentures require external cleaning, meaning that you have to remove them from the mouth in order to clean them. This is one of the more common causes of denture damage when they are dropped in the sink when cleaning them. With implants you simply brush and floss as you do your natural teeth and there is no waking in the morning with the first thing you see being your false teeth sitting in a glass of water at your bedside!

In summary then, our Burton patients can benefit from dental implants at any age. From young to old, this popular tooth replacement method can give you a new lease of life .. well into your old age. For more information or to arrange a no obligation consultation with an implant dentist, please call SG Dental and Implant Centre today on 01283 845345.