I have always envied those around me who seem to always have perfect smiles without even trying, because I feel like I was born with "bad teeth." While my teeth are in great shape now, it is only because I take great care to visit the dentist every six months for a check-up and cleaning and maintain good oral hygiene habits at home. While I used to get a lot of cavities, even though I thought I was doing "everything right" to keep them away, I am proud to say that I have been cavity-free for a couple of years now! I put a lot of research into what daily habits can wreak havoc on my teeth, and I thought it would be a shame not to share what has helped me with others who need the advice. I plan to post many oral health tips on my new blog!
If your elderly parent has been trying to use a set of partial dentures to replace teeth that required extraction, but the dentures cause them discomfort and inconvenience, dental implants may be the better option for them. The implants may be a better long term solution because your parent won't need constant maintenance on the implants.
Talk with your parent and see if their insurance policy will cover the cost of an implant. Here are a few things you want to do before you have the implants fused into the mouth.
Tissue Cleaning and Analysis
Ask that your parent have a deep tissue cleaning performed, and have the periodontal specialist examine the tissue. Ask about the following potential problems:
Once you cover all these different areas you'll know if the tissue is healthy enough for the implants. Once the implants are fused they will help protect the gum tissue because the tissue won't be exposed like when dentures are removed.
Bone Density Examination
The surgeon will want to know if the bones in your parent's mouth are dense and strong enough to support the screws and the implants. They will do x-rays to see if your parent qualifies. If they don't, they may be able to take supplements to help strengthen the bones and improve the density, but if it is not possible to treat the issue with supplements you'll have to consider other options.
Recovery Time
Talk with the dental professional about the recovery time of having the teeth extracted and then getting the implant put in. Because of their old age it may take them longer to heal, and you want to know that the procedure isn't going to greatly affect their life after it's been started or completed.
Dental implants may be the best option for your parent, because these are synthetic teeth that aren't going to get cavities and aren't going to rot over time. This makes caring for the smile easy at an older age, and they do not have to put the teeth in every morning. Instead, they can feel like they did before they needed to have the implants, and they can enjoy strong teeth that allow them to eat whatever they want, talk without worrying about the teeth coming loose, and feel like they have a healthy and natural smile again.
Share24 October 2016
