Age brings many changes, and sometimes these changes have the chance of ruining our smile. Around the world, elderly people are at a greater risk of losing their teeth than any other population groups. About 40% of patients have lost all their teeth in one or two jaws after the age of 50. The absence of teeth does not only lead to external defects, but also to functional defects. Chewing becomes more difficult, the gastrointestinal tract is affected and the retention of removable dentures is weakened due to bone atrophy. However, if you have lost one or more teeth, they still can be restored. Choosing the right type of dentures improves your quality of life. If you choose a fixed denture model, you don't have to worry about how well the denture will hold in your mouth. You can smile, talk and chew comfortably without worrying about the denture falling out or slipping. Because the condition of the mouth directly affects the reliability of the denture, here are some general considerations for older patients before implant-supported dentures - which is the most commonly preferred way of getting dental crowns - are placed.
getting affordable dental crowns on top of implants are a long-term solution for missing teeth. And it is an excellent choice for elderly people who want to restore their smile with comfortable, high-quality and durable dentures. In Periodonta, you can find reliable implant systems followed by dentures at affordable prices, and the procedure itself takes only a few days.
Even the elderly can benefit from prosthetic restorations with implants. Being over 60 years of age does not absolutely prevent one from getting implants and dentures. During a visit to the dentist, the doctor will first examine any underlying medical conditions that may affect the outcome. This may even include an oral cancer risk due to dental crowns, so it is advised that senior citizens are well informed on the topic. For more, read our post: Do dental crowns cause cancer.
Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and osteoporosis are the most common obstacles to getting dental implants and crowns. However, the stage and extent of complications due to chronic diseases vary from patient to patient. For some techniques, these diseases do not heavily limit the possibility of treatment, and with the appropriate level of attention, surgery can be performed. The first step is for the implantologist to perform an examination and diagnosis. During the consultation, the doctor needs to know about all the diseases and medications the patient is taking, in order to determine if a prosthetic treatment with implants will be possible.
If the patient does not suffer from any chronic diseases, there is no obstacle for implant-supported prosthetic reconstruction surgery types. If this is the case, the treating physician will recommend an implant operation based on his or her opinion.
During the diagnosis, the patient will undergo blood tests and the most appropriate method of pain management and sedation will be chosen. If the insertion of implants is possible, an individual appointment with a specialist will be scheduled. Visits to the implantologist may have to be more frequent than for patients in other age groups, but for the elderly it is important to carefully monitor the condition of their teeth to reduce the risk of complications and get a proper crown on implants.
The elderly should only work with very experienced dentists, as their operations may require more expertise than what would be needed for someone in another age group. Tightness in crown might affect the jaw structure of the elderly more than that of younger age groups, so the procedure should be done expertly.
The main obstacles to having an implant-supported prosthesis are the presence of chronic diseases, certain medications, impaired perception of anesthesia, reduced immunity and bone atrophy. These factors affect not only the feasibility of the implant surgery, but also the longevity of the prosthesis and your general health during the implantation period.
When visiting the dentist, it is important to remember the precautions of implant prostheses in order to obtain the best possible results. Precautions include consideration of the relative severity of a particular treatment, as well as situations where implantation would not be advisable due to harm or a high risk of an adverse outcome. Precautions indicate that if the severity of an adverse event outweighs the potential benefits to the patient, it is worthwhile to choose an alternative prosthetic method.
Indications of incompatibility can be absolute or relative. Absolute contraindications indicate that the prosthesis could cause a life-threatening situation or that the risks of the procedure clearly outweigh any possible therapeutic benefit. Relative contraindications indicate that caution should be exercised and that the benefits of the procedure are likely to outweigh any associated risks.
Data on prostheses show that 90-95% of dental crowns last successfully for 10 years and 51.97-75.8% last 16-20 years. The most common causes of failed crown operations are when they happen in conjunction with implants, being peri-implantitis, peri-mucositis, failure of bone integration, placement error, anatomical abnormalities, and fractures caused by excessive pressure during mastication.