How old is too old for a Dental Implant treatment ?

Dental Implant Treatment

Have you ever wondered this question that you are too old for dental implants??? The Guinness world record for the oldest patient for Dental implants was set by Margaret Brown (Canada), who was aged 94 years 354 days when she had two lower jaw implants placed by a general dentist in Ontario, Canada on June 13, 2002. She lived for another 3 years with successful denture retention.

While there is a myth that implants are not effective for older people, the truth is that these implant work for the aged just as well as they do for younger patients. There are many peer reviewed articles backing up this anecdotal evidence suggesting that implant treatment for the elderly showed the similar results when compared to younger age group. Though there are certain factors that can influence the treatment with age, but the criteria for implant treatment is health related, not age determined .The medical condition of the patient is more important than age when implant treatment is planned. Smoking, diabetes, history of iv bisphosphonates are the most common risk factors that can impair the healing process and decrease the success of implant integration. Otherwise, the elderly patient should not be concerned about getting implant treatment done.

In most of the western countries Dentists recommend dental implants instead of conventional dentures in every patient. Dental implants are now the standard of care for replacement of missing teeth. Conventional dentures causes irreversible damage to the jaw bone and significantly compromise patient’s chewing function, and therefore should be avoided.

The fact is no age is too old for dental implants. A reasonably healthy person with even a few years of life expectancy can safely and predictably have dental implants and improve their quality of life. There is no reason to let anyone suffer through the last years of their lives by loose dentures and inability to eat, speak, and keeping them from a vital and social lifestyle. For a better quality of life, go for dental implants!

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