Dental Implant Over 60

Thanks to advances in dentistry, older people no longer have to rely on removable dentures to replace missing teeth. Some of us may have vivid memories of our parents or grandparents trying to speak or eat while wearing removable dentures, which can slip and rub and interfere with basic activity, and we may have preconceptions about dental replacement options for older people. The truth is that many older people can be excellent candidates for dental implants, no matter their age. As long as people are in good overall health, no age is “too old” for dental implants; in fact, patients as old as 85 or 90 routinely get dental implants without facing any issues. Even if you’re experiencing bone loss, which is particularly common in older women, you could still reap the benefits of dental implants and significantly improve your quality of life.

Older people, especially post-menopausal women, often have osteoporosis, a disease that affects the bones and leads to brittle bones and bone loss. Osteoporosis increases the chances of losing teeth, which leads to a preconception that people with osteoporosis can’t get dental implants. This preconception is false; patients with osteoporosis can be excellent candidates for dental implants, and dental implants can actually contribute to improved nutrition, which can help reduce future bone loss. For all wearers, dental implants can vastly improve quality of life, as they don’t slip or rub like removable dentures and therefore allow their wearer to enjoy a wide variety of foods, to smile freely, and to speak without impediment.

While dental implants cost more than removable dentures, think of them as an investment in your own well-being. As life expectancies continue to rise, dental implants become more and more integral to the long-term health and happiness of their wearers. Missing teeth or loose dentures cause all sorts of hassles, and interfering with healthy eating is just one of them. Dental implants help their wearers fully taste and enjoy their food, and they don’t click or slip when people speak, like dentures do. Dental implants are also convenient and comfortable and don’t require any foul-smelling denture adhesive; because they are permanent, dental implants also don’t need to be periodically refitted and replaced like dentures do, and you can care for them just as you’d care for your natural teeth, simply by brushing them — no need for overnight soaking.

Any person who is in reasonably good health can be a good candidate for dental implants, no matter how old they are. Quality of life is important, and the comfort and convenience of dental implants can improve a person’s quality of life, especially when compared with removable dentures. Without implants, many people have to change their diets, eating only soft foods and avoiding entire categories of foods, like crunchy vegetables. This lack of nutritional variety has adverse effects on overall health, which in turn adversely affects quality of life and may even affect the lifespan. While removable dentures may be the more affordable option, isn’t your happiness and well-being in your old age worth the investment of dental implants?