Senior Oral Health: Preparing Your Aging Loved One Getting Dental Implants
Posted on: 30 March 2017
Aging takes its toll on a person's oral health, and missing teeth or ill-fitting dentures can interfere with a senior's comfort and ability to eat properly. Fortunately, implant dentistry has revolutionized the way dentists treat missing teeth today, and your senior loved one has options for restoring their smile. While replacing missing teeth with dental implants offers benefits over traditional dentures such as preserving the strength of the jaw bone, it is important to keep in mind that it does require a slightly different process when compared to other procedures. Use these tips to help your loved one make the right decision for their comfort and ensure that they have the best possible recovery.
Accompany Them to The Initial Consultation
Getting implants does require a surgical procedure, and it is important to ensure that your loved one is a good candidate for this type of restoration. A quality dentist will encourage your loved one to bring their caregiver along to make sure that everyone understands what to expect during the procedure. During this initial consultation, your loved one's mouth structure, overall health and lifestyle habits will be assessed to make sure the procedure will be successful. Use this time to ask questions such as whether or not having implants will improve your loved one's health.
Prepare For the Recovery Process
After the posts are implanted, your loved one will need to take care of their gums and general health so that they can recover properly. Make sure that your loved one understands to follow the after care instructions such as avoiding drinking through a straw, and smokers will need to give up their habit for the duration of their recovery. Your loved one may also need to eat a soft diet during the first few days after their surgery.
Arrange For Transportation to Follow-Up Appointments
While dental implants are longer lasting than many other types of restoration, they do require continued visits to the dentist for regular exams. Until everything heals, your loved one's dentist will want to monitor their healing process, but eventually implants will be cared for at your loved one's routine exams and cleanings. Making sure your loved one can get to these appointments safely is critical for their continued happiness with their new smile.
Seniors today have more options than ever before to restore a smile that has been affected by missing teeth. Encouraging your loved one to explore the benefits of implants allows them to eliminate issues caused by dentures such as having difficulty chewing. Once your loved one's implants have successfully integrated into their mouth, they will be able to eat, smile and talk with greater confidence that impacts their overall wellbeing.
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