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Dental Implants for the Elderly: How It Can Improve Their Quality of Life

Apr 01, 2023

After crossing a specific age, you might inquire whether your missing teeth can be replaced with dental implants. In addition, you may wonder whether you will succeed with implants at an older age or worry about whether implant placements will work for you similarly to younger patients.

Fortunately, these restorations remain viable and help improve the quality of life with dental implants for seniors, making them entirely sustainable regardless of age. In addition, dental implants enhance seniors’ quality of life, giving them better physical well-being and reliance.

Functioning of Dental Implants

Dental implants are screw-like metal posts that function as artificial tooth roots after embedding them in a procedure requiring dental implant surgery for the elderly to integrate with their jawbone and become part of their body. After dental implant integration, the dentist attaches a connector called an abutment to the dental implant to function as a holder of the dental crown.

Dental implant surgery is comfortable, easy, and simple for seniors to help them regain their chewing and smiling abilities with natural-looking artificial teeth.

Why Are Dental Implants Essential for the Elderly?

Elderly dental implant benefits are numerous, especially when patients lose teeth at an older age and look around for replacement options that will help them regain their mouth functionality besides the natural abilities they lost with their natural teeth. Some of the benefits they accrue include the following:

Better Chewing and Biting:

Dental implant options for older adults ensure seniors don’t face challenges when chewing and biting foods because of missing teeth. The implants restore lost teeth helping seniors to eat without remaining concerned about toothaches or discomfort. In addition, implants also help in restoring proper digestion.

Improved Oral Health:

Elderly oral health and dental implants are associated because dental implants don’t require adjacent teeth alteration for support because implants are standalone applications. In addition, seniors can benefit from long-term improved oral health because the individual implants allow access between the teeth for cleaning to ensure seniors maintain their dental hygiene in optimal shape.

Elevated Self-Confidence:

If you consider getting a dental implant near you to replace a missing tooth, you enjoy the ability to chew your favorite foods without confronting challenges, making you feel better about yourself and healthier. In addition, dental implants help provide a natural-looking smile making you feel confident to enjoy a better quality of life.

Benefits and Downsides of Dental Implants for Seniors

Dental implants are long-term solutions for missing teeth and not a quick fix. They come with some benefits and downsides that need consideration by seniors before getting them.

Benefits

  • Dental implants appear and function like natural teeth. However, seniors will find it challenging to distinguish between their natural and artificial teeth after implant placement.
  • Implants can last a lifetime, making them a sustainable tooth replacement option for seniors. However, seniors may need replacements for dental crowns every 10 to 15 years, but the implant will remain in their jawbone of life with minimum maintenance.
  • Implants prevent jawbone resorption and help strengthen it because they stimulate the biting and chewing forces of the artificial teeth, helping keep their jawbone strong and preventing seniors from experiencing bone loss.

Downsides

  • Missing tooth replacement therapy with dental implants in Coppell, TX, involves many phases. Dental implants need six months to integrate with the jawbone, and getting them placed also required time for planning. As a result, the process can become demanding for seniors who may desire an immediate solution.
  • Dental implant surgery is safe with minimal or no complications. However, the chances of infections occurring exist with every surgical procedure significantly if seniors are affected by periodontal disease after dental implant placement.
  • Dental implant placement may require additional procedures in some situations. For example, some patients may not have adequate jawbone to support dental implants making bone grafting essential. In addition, the additional procedures can increase the time it takes for seniors to get implants.

Should the Elderly Consider Dental Implants?

The standard of living becomes essential when people become seniors. They may desire a beautiful smile because it improves their quality of life. Implants help improve the life quality of seniors by enabling them to receive better nutrition and live healthy and active lifestyles, besides socializing with friends and family members.

People can benefit from dental implants regardless of whether they are 80 or 90. The elderly should consider dental implants as the gold standard for missing teeth replacements and consider getting them to improve their quality of life.

Our dentist near you at Compassion Smiles Dentistry — Coppell provides dental implants to many patients, including the young and elderly delivering excellent results. If you are affected by tooth loss as a senior, consult them to assess your oral health and start planning to receive dental implants to improve your quality of life.

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