Maintaining oral health is an important part of our daily routine. Research has shown that there is a strong correlation between a person’s oral health and their overall health and quality of life. Yet, according to the European Journal of Dentistry, most people tend to wait until it’s too late before they deal with emerging dental issues. That period of delay typically results in the problem magnifying in importance and being even more complicated to deal with. This is true even of people who live in the city and have access to dental treatment. These dental issues are often the result of lifestyle choices which erode the oral health of a person. One of the important ways where dentistry can have an impact is improving the smiles of seniors. Many seniors have often neglected their oral health and this has led to various issues with their smiles. This can cause their oral and overall health to suffer, as well as their quality of life.
Maintaining good oral health is often difficult for seniors. Even with good home-based care, dental care often remains a neglected part of the daily regime of a senior. It’s important that seniors have regular checkups to catch any emerging dental issues as they arise. A dentist will be able to provide options for a senior to take to improve their oral health.
A cosmetic dentist will be able to address imperfections in a senior’s teeth using composite materials. Composites are also often used for minor shaping of the teeth. Where cosmetic bonding is involved, a cosmetic dentist will lightly etch the enamel and cover it with an ultraviolet-cured adhesive.
After this, the composite resin and mold will be put in the shape desired by the patient. This new material is then polished so that the final color looks like that of the existing tooth. Cosmetic bonding is a painless procedure, so you don’t even need anesthesia for it. Seniors don;t have to wait to see the results of bonding: they’re immediate. The downside of this procedure is that the results only last a limited time.
Seniors who have missing teeth have an array of choices to address this. They may choose bridges, or dental implants to replace these missing teeth.
Dental bridges are often used where a person has a missing tooth and two healthy teeth neighbouring where that missing tooth was. The healthy teeth are fitted with crowns and a false tooth or “pontic” is placed where the missing tooth was. The pontic appears natural.
According to the best cosmetic dentistry experts, dental implants are the gold standard for replacing missing teeth. Implants are titanium screws implanted into the jawbone of the patient. The jawbone adjusts to the screw and bonds to it. This process takes as much as 6 months. When this has occurred, a crown is placed over that implant and looks exactly like a natural tooth. Unlike dental bridges, dental implants can be placed without the neighbouring teeth being touched. This means that your natural tooth structure is preserved, unlike with dental bridges. Because dental implants are implanted into the jawbone, there is no risk of them slipping, making any noise, or causing damage to your bones like traditional dentures, or bridgework. Finally, dental implants, unlike bridges, do not decay.
