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Geriatric Dentistry in Wakad Pune

Geriatric dentistry deals with the oral health of elderly persons, who usually have significant medical problems and are taking multiple medications which necessitates sophisticated dental management. Elderly people often experience symptoms of dental decay and gingival (gum) disorders that differ from symptoms experienced by younger people. Poor oral health in the elderly can lead to loss of appetite, malnutrition, metabolic disorders, and even, in cases of facial disfigurement, the onset of depression. Periodontal disease has been linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other illnesses.

With the number of elderly persons of advanced age (85 years or older) with mental disorders such as Alzheimer disease reaching epidemic proportions, dental management of affected individuals has become a major challenge in clinical dental practice. Old people often take many medications, which have adverse side effects such as dry mouth, a major cause of dental decay. The effects of aging result in changes in lip posture, chewing efficiency, and ability to swallow and taste and in an increase in diseases of the hard and soft tissues of the mouth. Dental decay, periodontal disease, and loss of teeth in individuals over the age of 65 have reached significant proportions. 

Enamel dental care provides dental treatment to old patients . It involves prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of dental problem associated with normal ageing mostly because of missing teeth, periodontal disease, decay etc. which affects general health due to difficulty in chewing. If a person receives geriatric dental health care on a regular basis, they can prevent or even eliminate certain oral diseases and other diseases associated with them such as stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. Treatment options are

  • Dental implants
  • Complete dentures
  • Removal partial denture
  • Full mouth rehabilitation
  • Crown and bridge

Complete denture is a removable appliance used when all teeth within a jaw have been lost and need to be prosthetically replaced. Function of complete denture also known as a full denture, false teeth or plate is

  • Mastication: Chew food for swallowing and digestion
  • Speech, phonetics: The teeth either natural or artificial assists the tongue and lips to form some of the sound of speech
  • Appearance or Aesthetics: It is influenced by the shape of jaws together with the position and occlusal relationship of the teeth
  • Health of the alveolar bone and tempro-mandibular joint (TMJ)

Implant supported denture are the middle ground between the conventional denture that uses adhesive and the more expensive advanced full-arch dental implants. Implant-supported dentures are a great option for individuals who are seeking an affordable option to significantly improve their ability to chew and smile.

Implant Supported Dentures | Voss Dental - Oral Surgery | Implant

Unlike traditional dentures, permanent dentures are typically held in place by two or more surgically placed dental implants. The implants make permanent dentures stable and allow the patient to chew, talk, and smile more easily than with removable dentures. Permanent dentures look and feel just like natural teeth.

Partial Dentures

A removable partial denture or bridge usually consists of replacement teeth attached to a pink or gum-colored plastic base, which is

sometimes connected by metal framework that holds the denture in place in the mouth. Partial dentures are used when one or more natural teeth remain in the upper or lower jaw. A fixed bridge replaces one or more teeth by placing crowns on the teeth on either side of the space and attaching artificial teeth to them. This “bridge” is then cemented into place. Not only does a partial denture fill in the spaces created by missing teeth, it prevents other teeth from changing position. A precision partial denture is removable and has internal attachments rather than clasps that attach to the adjacent crowns. This is a more natural-looking appliance.

How Are Dentures Made?

The denture development process takes a few weeks and several appointments. Once your dentist or prosthodontist (a dentist who specializes in the restoration and replacement of teeth) determines what type of appliance is best for you, the general steps are to:

  1. Make a series of impressions of your jaw and take measurements of how your jaws relate to one another and how much space is between them.
  2. Create models, wax forms, and/or plastic patterns in the exact shape and position of the denture to be made. You will “try in” this model several times and the denture will be assessed for color, shape, and fit before the final denture is cast.
  3. Cast a final denture
  4. Adjustments will be made as necessary

    What Do New Dentures Feel Like?

    New dentures may feel a little odd or loose for a few weeks until the muscles of the cheeks and tongue learn to keep them in place and you get comfortable inserting and removing them. Also, it is not unusual for minor irritation or soreness to occur and for saliva flow to increase when you first start wearing dentures, but these problems will diminish as the mouth adjusts.

    Will Dentures Make Me Look Different?

    Dentures are made to closely resemble your natural teeth so there should be only a small noticeable change in appearance. In fact, dentures may even improve your smile and fill out your facial appearance.