Dental Implants for Seniors
As we age, it becomes important to ensure that our bodies remain healthy. A healthy diet and exercise are so important to doing this. Our oral health is also a vital part of maintaining a healthy body. Proper oral hygiene and maintenance are how we do this throughout our lives and these practices remain important in our golden years. Despite the best efforts, many seniors lose some of their teeth over time, however. If you’ve lost some teeth or are at risk of losing some teeth, you may be wondering what your options are. Dental implants are an effective option for people of any age. Read on to learn more about dental implants and seniors.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are a dental prosthetic that solves tooth loss. Dental implants are installed into the jawbone using a post, which over time fuses into the bone. This foundational structure ensures that the prosthetic stays in place and provides a tooth that functions, feels, and looks like a natural tooth.
What are the advantages of dental implants for seniors?
A full mouth of teeth is important for people at all ages, and it is especially important for seniors. Missing teeth can lead to several other health issues including the inability to eat a healthy, normal diet, bone and muscle loss, and increased risk of infections. Dental implants can solve these problems effectively. Here are the top benefits of dental implants for seniors:
- Maintaining a healthy diet: Because dental implants can fully restore your bite, they allow for maintaining a healthy diet, which is important as you age. Dental implants allow patients to eat foods without pain and irritation. By eating a nutritionally rich diet of varied foods, seniors can maintain their overall health.
- Restoring your smile: A full set of teeth will help you feel better about your smile. Dental implants are natural looking, and dentists have many shades and textures to choose from to allow for an easier match to you existing teeth. This will ensure that you’ll be able to smile bright for the photos with your grandkids.
- Feeling Better: Our appearance has a major impact on our self-esteem. Therefore, when we feel good about our appearance, we feel good about ourselves. This also includes feelings good because we can chew the foods we love. How we feel, especially as we age, improves our overall quality of life.
- Cost Effective: Implants are permanently installed and require less maintenance over time than dentures. Dentures can break and often need to be replaced every few years. Therefore, the cost of implants can be a lot up front, but over time pay for itself.
- Easier to Care For: Dental implants are easy to care for. They are brushed and flossed just like natural teeth. Unlike dentures, which need to be taken out and cleaned, implants require much less work. The permanent nature of implants means that they don’t slip, which also leads to less discomfort.
Are dental implants right for me?
Dental implants are right for everyone in good health. If you’ve lost teeth, speak with your dentist today to find out of dental implants are right for you.