You’re Never Too Old For Dental Implants
Here at Sheen Dental we’re often asked whether a patient is too old to receive a dental implant in Richmond and the answer quite simply is that there is no upper age restriction. We’ve successfully placed implants into the mouths of seniors who were in their late 80’s. In fact it’s elderly patients who in a way probably need and benefit the most from dental implants. As people become older they tend to lose teeth due to decay or gum disease and often end up with partial or full sets of dentures. Further bone loss makes the dentures become loose, gums become sore, and eating becomes extremely difficult. It’s important for elderly people to socialise with friends and family and all too often the embarrassment of loose dentures makes them lose confidence and shy away from social events. At their age it’s all about quality of life and we need to do all we can to improve it.
Dental implants can totally transform an older patient’s life for the better by providing the means for them to eat a better diet which supplies their bodies with the nutrients it needs for them to live a more active and social lifestyle.
Do elderly patients make good candidates for dental implants?
In a word yes! Implants are just as effective in a patient that is 85 than they are in a person who is half that age and they heal equally as well. Even with bone loss, dental implants can be placed in a patient without bone grafting.
What about the recovery period?
Dental implant surgery when carried out by an experienced dentist such as Dr. Harmit Kalsi is gentle and the recovery time is far quicker than after tooth extraction. Some discomfort may be felt for a couple of days but it’s easily managed with pain killers such as Ibuprofen or Paracetamol. Implants can be restored on the same day with a fixed denture or allowed to heal for two or three months before supporting new teeth.
What are the options?
The first option is for Dr. Kalsi to place two to four implants which will support a removable overdenture. This stabilises the denture and prevents it from moving around in the mouth, improving both functionality and comfort for the wearer. The second option is to place a fixed prosthesis onto four to six dental implants. This looks and feels just like a patient’s natural teeth since it is fixed and is also extremely comfortable.
Dental implants allow patients to eat a more varied and nutritional diet. They also support surrounding teeth from moving and becoming dislodged. More importantly, they prevent further bone loss from occurring which happens with conventional dentures and help to retain the shape of the jaw. If you’d like to find out more about getting dental implants in Richmond then come and talk to us. We offer a free consultation which you can book directly on 020 8876 5277 or alternatively contact us on line at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk. We look forward to meeting you.