Dentist for Seniors Mount Prospect

A healthy set of teeth plays a significant role in overall health and quality of life for seniors. You need your teeth to enable you to enjoy your food, and to eat healthy fruits and vegetables that require strong chewing. You also want to look and feel good, as seniors are more active and are living longer now than in the past.

At Meyer Dental, we know it is never too late to promote healthy living and that begins with your oral health care. Daily oral hygiene and regular dental cleanings in our office are vital to ensure you are not getting periodontal disease. We want to prevent infection and bacteria in your mouth from getting into your body and then your bloodstream which can lead to a range of systemic conditions.

We want to partner with our senior patients to ensure you are able to maintain healthy habits and oral home care with electric toothbrushes which are easier to use when dexterity is an issue. We also recommend orthodontics for seniors with crooked or misaligned teeth which create pockets for decay and plaque to be trapped. Straight teeth are easier to keep clean.

Seniors deserve extra special care, so we dedicate extra time for your appointments to answer questions and to brew you a cup of coffee if you’d like. We send you home with fresh baked chocolate cookies, and we offer a 5% senior discount for all procedures.

As we get older, our bodies aren’t as strong as they used to be. It isn’t uncommon to receive diagnoses of osteoporosis, heart disease, arthritis, or even experience tooth loss.

Some people assume that a missing tooth or two is common, something that we’ll all have to deal with eventually. A few people even believe they’ll be in full dentures by the time they reach a certain age, simply because others in their family may have experienced that.

But does it have to be that way? Is there a solution for seniors with missing teeth?

Thankfully- the answer is yes! Dental implants are playing a vital role in the health of our patients. Those with implants have healthier dentition, as well as stronger facial bone support.

Dental implants are pretty amazing. They are so strong and stable in the jaw bone that people who have them feel like they’re talking and chewing with their original teeth.

3 reasons why dental implants are the best choice to replace missing teeth

1. First, the implant post, made of an incredibly strong metal that is bio-compatible with human bone, is placed into the jaw bone. Once placed, the metal implant integrates into the jaw bone, which means that the bone grows around and fuses to the implant post.

2. After a few months, once the bone and implant have fused, I expose the top of the implant. It shows through the gum just a bit – enough for a dental crown to securely fit on top of it.

3. This dental crown looks, fits, and feels like a real tooth. Patients can floss normally and eat any food they want.

All of this talk about implants makes them sound like a wonderful investment – which they are! But some people wonder if dental implants are more of a luxury than a necessity. Do they really need to be concerned with replacing missing teeth?

Definitely! Missing teeth can have an adverse effect on a person’s oral health as well as their general health.

Jaw Bone Recession

The teeth act as an anchor for the jaw bone. Without teeth, the jaw has nothing to support. So, it slowly begins to recede. You may have noticed this with people who have worn full dentures for many years. Their jaw bone – particularly the mandible, or the lower jaw – is very thin.

Jaw bone recession doesn’t just happen when people lose all their teeth. It can and will happen with one missing tooth.

The recession won’t necessarily affect the entire jaw bone, but it will affect the bone around the missing tooth. It’s really easy for people with one missing tooth to experience bone loss and gum disease around adjacent teeth. If not properly cared for at home and with the assistance of a dental professional, the problem could escalate and more teeth could be lost.

Loss of Vital Nutrients

But missing teeth don’t just affect the mouth – there are general health consequences as well.

The digestive process begins in the mouth. Enzymes in our mouth begin breaking down the food we eat. Chewing breaks the food down even more.
When a person loses a tooth, chewing becomes more difficult. The more teeth that are missing, the more difficult proper chewing becomes. Denture wearers find it even harder to eat because their dentures can become loose and uncomfortable.

Overtime, those who can’t chew their food properly will end up losing out on vital nutrients. Some have even lost interest in eating altogether, which compounds the nutrient problem.

But when patients replace missing teeth with dental implants or invest in implant supported dentures, chewing is easier and nutrients are more likely to be absorbed.