Geriatric restorative care - the need, the demand and the challenges

Abstract

Increased life expectancy is causing an explosion of the aging population that will continue now and in the foreseeable future. Improved quality of life at old age will demand tooth retention and consequently the need for restorative care. Retaining teeth disease free and maintaining them amidst multitude of risk factors associated with old age, is a multi- faceted challenge. This review article discusses the etiology of various dental diseases seen in older dentate population and their management keeping in mind the special needs of these matured people, so as to render a professional service that is sensitive and caring.

Root canal treatment and special needs patients

“…) and root canal treatment as part of a comprehensive restorative care (Chang & Seo , Nadig et al . ).…”

“…Root canal treatment requires rubber dam isolation, extended working time compared with simple restorative care, radiographic acquisition and substantial cooperation, all of which might prove challenging to individuals with special needs (Nadig et al . , Alsaleh et al . ).…”

“…In line with this, there is a shift to provide more restorative work, including root canal treatment in this patient cohort rather than opting for extraction (Loyola-Rodriguez et al 2006, Kova ci c et al 2012. Root canal treatment requires rubber dam isolation, extended working time compared with simple restorative care, radiographic acquisition and substantial cooperation, all of which might prove challenging to individuals with special needs (Nadig et al 2011, Alsaleh et al 2012.…”

Gerodontology: An Interdisciplinary Approach

“…There is no contradiction to endodontic treatment as far as age is concerned [9]. In fact, whether a particular tooth needs to be retained in the oral cavity of an older adult depends on the prosthetic treatment plan.…”

“…Proper diagnosis and treatment planning are of paramount importance in restoring function and esthetics for patients. This is of special significance in older patients, where the aim of the dentist should be restoration of dentition keeping in mind the various biologic, esthetic and functional parameters [9].…”