Several factors influence the planning of treatment for the older adult. More than any other age group, some patients may benefit from complex and invasive treatment such as implant restorations while limited supportive care may be the optimal choice for others. The factors which influence this decision include:
1) Patient desires and expectations
2) Type and severity of the patient's dental need
3) The problem's impact on the patient's quality of life
4) The probability of positive treatment outcomes
5) The availability of reasonable and less extensive treatment alternatives
6) Ability of the patient to tolerate the physical, mental and emotional stress of treatment
7) The patient's capacity to maintain oral health
8) The patient's financial resources
9) The dentist's skills and facility access
10) Other issues such as life expectancy, family desires and bio-ethical issues
Treatment outcomes are optimized by incrementally prioritizing treatment. Initially, care should center on emergency care such as control of pain and infection; extraction of hopelessly decayed teeth; removal of deposits of plaque, stain and tartar; fillings to prevent further decay ; and repair of broken dentures. Then treatment of periodontal disease and simple restorations such as root canals, crowns and temporary dentures should be pursued. Finally, complex restorations such as implant crowns and bridges, and partial or complete removable dentures can be provided.
An informed discussion with the patient includes the advantages, disadvantages, risks and alternatives to any proposed treatment along with the staging of care. All treatment questions are answered before the treatment plan is finalized at the dental chair and a written plan with associated fees is presented at the reception desk for signature by the patient. To learn more about the special care for older adults provided by Dr. Dulski at Adult Dentistry of Rochester, visit http://www.dulski.com/.
Tags: Oral Health, Geriatric Dentistry, Gum Disease
Teeth cleaning is the removal of dental plaque and tartar from teeth to prevent cavities, gingivitis, and gum disease. Severe gum disease causes at least one-third of adult tooth loss. A variety of oral hygiene measures have been used since before recorded history. This has been verified by various excavations done all over the world, in which chewsticks, tree twigs, bird feathers, animal bones and porcupine quills were recovered. The first toothbrush recorded in history was made in 3000 BC, a twig with a frayed end called a chewstick. A person chews one end of the neem twig until it somewhat resembles the bristles of a toothbrush, and then uses it to brush the teeth. The first nylon bristle toothbrush, made with nylon yarn, went on sale on February 24, 1938. The first electric toothbrush, the Broxodent, was invented in Switzerland in 1954.
ReplyDeleteI am a dental hygienist in Dr.Dulski office.Regularly a have a lot of geriatric patient in my schedule.From my daily experience I can say most of them require regular 3,4 or6 month dental appointment in order to keep their gum and teeth healthy. Most of them take a lot of different medication which make them pron to plaque formation and retention due to this they can have more cavities.
ReplyDeleteOral health touches every aspect of our lives but is often taken for granted. Your mouth is a window into the health of your body. Visit the Dentist in North Vancouver to get an ideal dental consultation.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree upon all your factors that influence the dental conditions of the adult. Need to be very cautious before implementing any complex procedures.
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