Dental Implants – Clear Benefits For Older Patients

See how Canterbury residents are taking advantage of the latest teeth implants….

Having written about children’s oral health in our previous blog, it seems only fair to take a look at a treatment that can be hugely beneficial for the older generation. As we now generally live to an older age, we find that we also want to remain active for as long as possible.

Whilst we do have to accept some limitations on our abilities as we get older, it doesn’t mean that we should have to put up with things which can cause us problems when we don’t have to.

One example of this is that many older people do lose their teeth, or at least some of them. There are many reasons why this might happen including poor oral care and other age related issues such as reduced saliva flow which can increase the risk of gum disease and potentially lead to tooth loss.

Losing a number of teeth means that many will resort to dentures. These have improved over time but some people do still find them restrictive and even uncomfortable as they may have a tendency to move around in the mouth, rubbing against the gums. If your dentures are unstable, you are also likely to resign yourself to not eating some of the foods that you really like, replacing them with softer and easier to eat foods.

It doesn’t have to be this way and a tooth implant placement at Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic can revolutionise your later years.

What are dental implants?

Very briefly, as these have been covered more extensively in other blogs, they are a replacement tooth that consists not only of the crown, but also an artificial tooth root (it is actually this part that is the dental implant). The use of a replacement tooth root means that, once placed and integrated with the jaw, they remain strong and stable in the mouth for a very long time.

Can older patients have them?

Absolutely. In fact, anyone whose face has developed sufficiently can have a dental implant placed. There are certain conditions that have to be met though, otherwise a prior procedure might be needed before the treatment can begin.

Are you a suitable implant candidate?

If you have a missing tooth or a number of teeth, the first step in replacing your missing tooth is to have a thorough examination. This will include scans and x-rays which are used not only to determine positioning, but also the amount and quality of bone that you have in your jaw. This is a very important factor as if an implant is placed where there is insufficient or poor quality bone, it may be weakened or even fail altogether, eventually falling out. Whilst most people do have sufficient bone, it can be an issue with some older patients.

Both general ageing and the fact that we produce less saliva as we get old, increasing the risk of gum disease, means that some of us might not have the bone needed for this treatment. Whilst most patients will; for those who don’t, a prior treatment such as a bone graft or a sinus lift might be needed. We will advise this following your consultation and also discuss with you whether to proceed or to use dentures or perhaps a bridge instead.

Benefits of teeth implants for older patients

You might be wondering whether the inconvenience of a minor invasive procedure is really worth it? We believe that it is. The fact is that once a dental implant has fully integrated with your jaw, a period of around 3 months or so, you will be left with an extremely strong replacement tooth. Not only does this widen the range of food that you can eat, helping you to enjoy eating with friends again, but implants are also much easier to maintain than dentures.

There is no fiddly cleaning with dental implants and certainly no ‘teeth in a glass’ next to you when you sleep. Your implant will remain securely in your mouth and you clean it like you would a natural tooth. Problems can arise with implants if they are not kept clean and issues such as periodontitis and peri-implantitis can occur. Whilst it is important to know this, it shouldn’t be a cause for concern if you look after the implant correctly. To do this, you should do the following.

• Brush your teeth well twice a day, making sure to brush around the gumline too.
• Use floss. We can show you how if you are not sure. This plays an important role in cleaning where a brush can’t reach
• Make sure that you see the oral hygienist at our Canterbury clinic at least every six months. As older people are generally at a higher risk of gum disease, they may ask you to visit for a scale and polish more frequently

Just because you are getting older doesn’t mean that you should have to restrict your eating habits. For a strong and stable replacement for dentures, the latest titanium teeth implants can’t be beaten. If you would like to find out more about this treatment, please arrange a consultation by calling Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic on 01227 463529.