Benefits Of Dental Implants For More Mature Patients

Implants compared to dentures for replacement of missing teeth

When we talk about cosmetic dentistry, it is sometimes assumed that this is intended for younger patients who want to look their very best, whether to find a partner or just for their own sense of well being.

Although they are probably the widest section of society to take advantage of these advances in aesthetic dentistry, this doesn’t mean that older people don’t benefit too.

When we are young; 40, 50 or even 60 seems to be really old, but as anyone who has reached that age will attest, it really doesn’t feel like it. Sure, we may have a few more aches and pains and have slowed down a bit but few of us feel ready to be consigned to history quite yet. These days, it is far from unusual for people to socialise well into their later years and why not look your best if that is the case. Whilst treatments, such as teeth whitening, are particularly popular, there is one treatment that is especially useful for older patients of the Cygnet Dental Practice and that is dental implants.

What are dental implants?

We have covered this before, but briefly, they are a screw-like object which is placed into the jawbone and, in effect, replaces the natural root of a tooth. Once placed, it is allowed to fuse with the bone; a process known as osseointegration. This then provides an extremely secure ‘anchor’ for a crown to be attached to. Although it does require minor surgery at your Wickford dental clinic, it also offers the opportunity to make long lasting improvements to your life, especially in your later years.

Older people and tooth loss

The longer we live, the more likely we are to have a range of health issues. This is just a fact of life, and dental issues are no different. The longer you live, the more likely you are to suffer from tooth loss. Some of this may simply be ‘wear and tear’ but also accidents can happen from falls or if you are still physically active, from playing sports. This can have an impact on our appearance but can also affect speech and our ability to eat certain foods.

The most widely used solution to losing teeth is to replace them using dentures, however, whilst these are now more aesthetically pleasing and comfortable than dentures have sometimes been in the past, they are often not without their issues for some people.

The fact is that dentures do not provide a ‘root’ to hold them in place and you may need to rely on less reliable methods such as denture glue. As many people discover, wearing dentures has its limitations and they can become loose when speaking or eating; something that is far from ideal for our confidence and, in certain situations, could be quite embarrassing.

Dental implants for older patients

Largely for the reasons mentioned above, more older people, whether in their 40s or even their 70s and beyond, are choosing to have dental implants to replace missing teeth instead of dentures. Wanting to live an active life and to look good too, teeth implants offer the best of both worlds. The following are just some of the real benefits that more mature people can gain by having implants placed.

Secure replacement teeth

Because dental implants will not move around in the mouth and will certainly not fall out if you look after them correctly, you will be able to eat and speak with confidence. Once the implants have been placed, and you have become used to them, you will find that you treat them just like your own natural teeth. They do look great but the main benefit that most older people discover is that they no longer have to examine a menu carefully to select foods that their dentures can cope with. If you have been eating salmon rather than a juicy steak, simply because your dentures couldn’t cope with it, you will once again be able to eat steak to your heart’s content.

Ease of cleaning

We have all seen in films where older people go to sleep with a glass of water containing their dentures at the side of the bed. This is necessary for cleaning them and should be done if you do have dentures. Dental implant wearers needn’t worry about this as they remain in your mouth and are treated just like natural teeth. When it comes to cleaning, there is no fiddly removal from the mouth and cleaning them over a sink. You just brush your teeth as you would regular teeth. We strongly recommend that you floss as well. Whilst everyone should do this, periodontitis and peri-implantitis are the biggest threats to implants. Thankfully, with good cleaning and hygienist appointments this should not be a major concern.

No bone loss

Some people don’t realise this but when you lose a tooth, the bone structure where the tooth was located becomes reduced as it is no longer required to hold the tooth in position. One side effect when this happens is that it can cause facial shape changes which can make you appear older. Having an implant placed helps stop this from happening as the bone still needs to hold your new artificial tooth root in place.

Are there risks?

Having dental implants placed is a very safe procedure, especially in the hands of our experienced Wickford team. The rate of success is very high indeed and, whatever age you are, there is every chance that you will be a suitable candidate to have them placed. In some cases, where bone loss has already occurred, you may require a prior procedure such as a bone graft or a sinus lift in order to place the implant. We will discuss this with you should scans and x-rays show that you need this.

Naturally, as with any invasive procedure, there are small risks, such as infections, that can occur. Whilst most people may overcome these relatively easily, some older people may have weaker immune systems which could present challenges. We always discuss your health during your non clinical consultation so that we can make an informed decision if you are a suitable candidate or not.

Whatever your age, implants provide an excellent alternative to dentures and we would be happy to discuss them with you if you are interested. If you would like to arrange a free non clinical consultation with us, please call the Cygnet Dental Practice today on 01268 733078.