Aging comes with plenty of challenges including dental issues. Due to bone density loss and other factors, a whopping 17.3% of seniors ages 65 and older don’t have any teeth left. That’s a lot of people out there with a gummy smile. And dentures aren’t always the best fit for everyone.
Geriatric cosmetic dental implants are an effective solution to combat the tooth loss that’s prevalent in our seniors. High-quality dental implants installed by an oral surgeon leads to improved speech, chewing abilities, and best of all, confidence.
Understanding Oral Health Challenges in Seniors
Tooth loss, gum disease, and even bone loss are all oral health concerns that seniors face. As we age, our bodies undergo changes—the gums around your teeth recede, and bone density decreases which causes teeth to become unstable. It’s a fact of life. And if a senior has arthritis, they might understandably become more lenient about brushing and flossing routinely.
While operations like dental bone grafting and soft issue grafting for seniors exists for gum recession and bone loss, it’s another thing to completely lose your teeth and have them fall out. Seniors who are missing multiple teeth in their mouths can have a difficult time doing simple, everyday tasks like chewing and speaking. Because of this new difficulty doing previously easy things—and the appearance of a mouth missing a bunch of teeth—it’s no wonder tooth loss can affect self-confidence and even lead to social isolation.
For the elderly who have lost their teeth, dentures are a common solution. It’s non-invasive and doesn’t break the bank. However, whether it’s dentures that don’t fit all that well, discomfort, difficultly chewing, and other denture-related issues, they don’t always work for everyone.
The Dental Implant Solution
Implants, or artificial tooth roots, are a permanent solution to tooth loss. Dental implants made of titanium are the most common kind you’ll encounter. Titanium is very much compatible with the human body, which is important because the implant post is actually meant to fuse and fully integrate itself with your jawbone. Once fully fused, an experienced oral surgeon doctor will install a custom crown onto the abutment, completing the implant process.
Like we mentioned, dental implants crafted out of quality materials are going to improve seniors’ speech, chewing abilities, and even their self-confidence. But, one thing that implants have going for them over dentures is that they actually help prevent bone loss.
When teeth are lost, the jawbone goes largely unused. Much like an atrophied muscle, the jawbone begins to deteriorate through a process called resorption. As can be imagined, a deteriorating jawbone opens up many further complications down the line, and it causes a sort of sunken facial appearance. Not what we’re going for at all.
Thankfully, nice, zirconium dental implants for missing teeth can put a full stop to resorption. When the posts fuse with the jawbone, it stimulates the jawbone in a very similar manner to the real deal. By visiting a mouth surgeon who does dental implants, seniors can prevent further bone loss.
Enhancing Quality of Life for Seniors
A good set of dental implants do wonders for seniors’ quality of life as well. A visit with a dental surgeon who knows what they’re doing when it comes to implants can not only get their smile back but improve other areas of life such as:
- Boosted Self-Esteem: Seeing themselves with a stunning, complete smile once more can brighten a senior’s outlook on life and be an instant boost of self-esteem.
- Enhanced Speech Clarity: Dental implants that are custom made restore full functionality of mouths, and this includes being able to speak and enunciate more clearly. This can also boost self-esteem and help in social interactions.
- Improved Eating and Chewing: With teeth back in their mouths, seniors have an easier time chewing their food, leading to better digestion and the ability to enjoy a wide variety of foods.
- Increased Comfort: Dentures are known for slipping around and getting knocked loose—it’s why you see it parodied in pop culture so often. Dental implants are fixed in place and eliminates the discomfort of constantly-shifting dentures.
By tackling these areas of life head-on, a nice set of implants can drastically improve a senior’s wellbeing, allowing them to live more fulfilling lives. Schedule a consultation to learn more about this transformative treatment.
