Is it worth it for someone over 70 to get dental implants?

The process of eating and digestion begins with the teeth. With a missing tooth, a number of things happen. Typically biting efficiency is reduced and there is now space for adjacent teeth to move in and eventually change the way you bite. There are many options for a replacement tooth other than a dental implant.

This includes leaving the extracted tooth site alone, a denture or a dental bridge. Depending on the health and existing oral condition of the patient, your dentist will advise the best replacement method. Some patients also cannot tolerate dentures due to a sensitive gag reflex or they find it troublesome, inconvenient or embarassing whilst talking.

A dental implant is the best known permanent alternative to a missing tooth - where feasbile and as advised by your dentist. However it will never TRULY replace a real tooth so you should try and keep your tooth as far as possible.

However if a tooth is very rotten (decayed) or shaky (gum disease) then the dentist might advise a course of management which might advise dental implant treatment once the mouth condition is healthy and disease free. If I was above 70 and if I needed an extraction I would definitely like a replacement and yes I would much prefer to have a dental implant if finances were in place and there were no medical contraindications.

Hope that helps,

Dr Samintharaj Kumar

Whether or not dental implants would be “ better” than dentures for your 70 year old relative depends on various factors.

It is true that no one likes to go for surgery, no matter at what age, and for dental implants to be even considered for your father, it must be determined that the benefits of the surgery far outweigh any risks. Generally speaking, dental implants are far superior to dentures in terms of strength, longevity, stability, comfort and even aesthetics.

Age alone cannot be seen as the most important limiting factor in getting dental implants.

Dental implants would be a good option to consider If your father is :

1. Medically healthy and cleared by his medical doctors to undergo dental implant surgery.
2. Not adverse to surgery
3. Has overall good dental and gum health
4. Has had a history of significant dislike for dentures with inability to chew well with them
5. Motivated to commit to see the dentist regularly to maintain and clean the dental implants
6. Able to accept any risks involved in the planned surgery
7. Adverse to trimming down his natural teeth to fit a dental bridge.

In my practice, we routinely perform dental implant surgery for patients who are well above the age of 70 with no significant problems, provided the above factors are met.

Older patients take longer to heal so I would make an effort to be all the more careful to make sure that the benefits that they get for going through the dental implant surgery is well worth any risks or inconveniences to the patient and family members.