Mobile dental care support for seniors should understand some of the top dental procedures for seniors. After a lifetime of grinding, chewing and general wear and tear have taken a toll on the teeth, seniors require proper dental care. Add complications from medication side effects and certain medical conditions and oral health will become more important for seniors. Prevention through daily flossing and brushing and regular trips to dentists is the best defense. But not all seniors can visit dentists and that is where mobile services come in.
Proper oral care can be challenging with age and it could lead to major or minor dental problems. Read on to learn some common dental procedures for seniors and how they can address common geriatric dental concerns for seniors.
Dental implants
Tooth decay and tooth loss are common concerns among senior patients, but dentures aren’t always the answer. When teeth are too damaged or too decayed to support a crown, implants are a great alternative.
Dental implants involve screwing a titanium screw into the jawbone and topping it up with a prosthetic tooth crown. Dental implants are much stronger and last longer than traditional crowns. They can replace a few teeth, a single tooth or even a full arch of teeth. Implants preserve the bone structure and function and look like real teeth. Some people have even used them for cosmetic purposes. Some mobile dental services offer implant procedures.
Crowns
When the enamel of your teeth thins out over the years, your teeth can start to darken. A lot of years of drinking coffee and staining beverages negatively affect the appearance of your teeth. Properly brushing and flossing teeth is sometimes challenging for the elderly, especially those with reduced dexterity due to medical conditions such as arthritis.
When teeth are damaged, strained, broken or cracked, crowns can be used to protect them. These are partial prosthetics that can be used to cover the natural tooth. Proper flossing and brushing will reduce the likelihood of needing crowns. It is worth noting that the elderly with reduced dexterity find it easy to use electric toothbrushes.
Dentures
Tobacco use and substandard nutrition can cause gum disease. Gum disease is common among senior dental problems. When tooth loss spreads widely, dentures can be used to replace the missing teeth. It is important to note that dentures should be properly cleaned daily and if they are ill-fitting, patients should acquire new ones as soon as possible to prevent stomatitis. This is an inflammation of the gum tissue and it is typically caused by loose dentures.
Surgery
Mobile dental care support services can halt or prevent the progress of gum disease with proper flossing and brushing but when you leave it untreated, it can cause a serious gum infection known as periodontitis. Gum disease can cause the gums to recede and increase the risk of losing teeth. Receding gums are caused and exacerbated by grinding teeth and tobacco smoking. When the damaged gum tissue is damaged, it can be restored with gum surgery.