A dental implant can provide many benefits to patients, but some seniors are hesitant to try the procedure because they’re concerned about whether it will be safe or effective for them.
In general, dental implants are safe and effective, but as with any medical procedure, you should talk to your dentist about the concerns before moving forward with implant treatment. Here’s what you need to know about dental implants if you’re concerned about the age.
What is a dental implant?
Unlike dentures, dental implants require no attachments to secure them in place. They’re actually surgically inserted into your jawbone. The implant, made of titanium, is biocompatible with your body. It heals and fuses with your bone tissue after the implant procedure.
If you are worried about getting dental implants because of your age, there are several options. For example, you might choose a single tooth implant or get two dental implants next to each other in order to have a stable anchor to place your dentures on.
Is dental implant suitable for seniors?
Elderly patients may have a few health issues to deal with while considering getting a dental implant. There are some concerns with implants that seniors should be aware of before moving forward with any treatment plan.
For example, during your consultation we may discover areas where you have lost bone density and cannot have an implant placed at that time. You also need to be aware that when placing dental implants in senior patients, complications such as swelling, body rejection and infections are possible for various reasons due to the patient’s individual health condition. So it’s always recommended to discuss them with the dentist before making a full decision on it.
Is there an age limit for dental implants?
Regardless of your age, dental implants are a good choice if you have missing teeth and your oral & general health condition is satisfactory. A 70-year-old patient with good oral health is more suitable for dental implants than a 30 year old with bad oral condition.
Dental implants are most common in patients who are 60 years old or younger, but there’s no hard-and-fast rule about age being a barrier to treatment.
What are the benefits of implants over dentures?
The most immediate benefit of dental implants is that they look and feel like real teeth. When compared to dentures, patients are also often less self-conscious about how their mouth looks, even when speaking. That’s because implants don’t shift or slide around like dentures do (which can also make eating difficult). This can improve a patient’s quality of life in a profound way.
And while there may be some short-term costs associated with implants, it’s important to remember that you won’t have to replace them as frequently as you would with dentures. In fact, implants last more than 2-3 decades for many patients when proper care is taken.
How safe are implants?
Implant procedure is generally speaking safe for most of the patients. Though there are scenarios when patients experience post procedure complications such as pains, inflection, or swellings.
If you’ve taken good care of your teeth, implants should be a safe option for you; and they would last for many years.
