Vancouver Periodontal Blog

Dental implants can improve quality of life for the elderly

Many longevity studies have drawn a correlation between the ability to chew and digest fibrous foods and living longer. Missing teeth, poor fitting dentures and bridge work can make chewing nutritious food, so vital to living longer and better, painful or almost impossible. The mind can associate discomfort with eating and this can lead to loss of a healthy appetite. Depression in the elderly can often be linked to the inability to enjoy certain foods.

Suffering as a result of tooth loss in later years in generally no longer necessary. Treatment with implants can be considered safe and predictable for older as well as for younger patients. Old age does not represent a factor of major prognostic significance in treatment with dental implants.

Consult a Vancouver periodontist about dental implants

Vancouver General Practice Dentists

Most general dentists are able to determine which of their patients are good candidates for dental implants. Because surgery is required, only people with healthy gums and strong jawbones should be considered good candidates for dental implants. Older people often feel they may not qualify for tooth implants but that is rarely the case.

Some general practitioners have the skills to perform dental implant surgery, but in most cases it is better if the family dentist refers you to a Vancouver periodontal professional that specializes in dental implants.

Restore Your Smile

Vancouver Dental Implant Specialists

A periodontist that specializes in dental implant surgery relies on superior training in periodontal procedures and specialized experience. A dental implant specialist is better able to decide which type of implant is right for your treatment, minimize your discomfort and provide a long term solution for your tooth loss.

Dental implants by a periodontal professional assure you of a natural-looking smile with no gaps. The anchor of the implant is surgically implanted in the jaw and the bone is then allowed to fuse around it for a period of several weeks. After the implant has taken root, an artificial tooth is created and fitted to the post of the implant. Your implant tooth will look and feel like your own.

Care for your tooth implants as you would the rest of your teeth, with daily flossing and brushing, as well as regular visits to your family dentist. With proper care and maintenance, your dental implants should last for many years.

Referrals from a dentist are not necessary to see a periodontist, but you should check with your insurance policy regarding coverage.

Visit your Vancouver dental implant specialist

There are four standard treatment options for the loss of a single tooth.

Partial

1) Single Tooth Partial Denture

A single tooth denture is temporarily fastened between the neighboring teeth. The downside of a single tooth partial denture is the accompanying bone loss that results from the absence of the natural tooth root. Biting forces will also cause the partial to move and shift. Discomfort and gum irritation often result from the movement of the partial.

2) Resin Bonded Bridge

A high speed drill is used to cut into the back of the neighboring teeth in order to prepare them for the bridge. A prothesis is cemented into place, attached to the backs of the neighboring teeth. Bone loss soon occurs as a result of the missing root. Plaque buildup at the edges of the bond often result, which can lead to tooth decay. Over time the cement bonds are likely to loosen due to day to day pressures of biting.

3) Fixed Bridge

A high speed drill removes a large percentage of the structure of the neighboring teeth, creating two mounting posts. A fabricated three unit bridge is then cemented into place. Again, bone loss will occur because the tooth root is missing. Plaque buildup under the margins of the crowns is also common. The neighboring teeth lack sufficient tooth structure, weakening them and leaving them more susceptible to tooth decay. Tooth decay leads to root canals and eventual additional tooth loss. In many cases the three unit bridge may fail due to decay of the neighboring teeth, necessitating a four unit bridge.

Single Tooth Dental Implant

4) Dental Implant

A dental implant replaces your natural tooth root with an implant. The implant is inserted into the bone in place of the natural root. The process of osseointegration causes the bone to heal around the implant, securing it as tightly as the natural root. An abutment is secured to the implant and the crown is then attached to the abutment. Unlike bridges, dental implants look and feel just like your natural teeth. They are stable under the pressures of biting and chewing and will outlast the other three options.

Vancouver dental implants