Article by Dr. Manuela Mereu
Rehabilitation strategies of the oral cavity in the fourth age or geriatric dentistry.
An evolved society that looks to the future cannot ignore taking care of its more adult population.
The advancement of life expectancy and the goal of guaranteeing the quality of life, attributes a central role to the fourth age, that is the generation of the over 80s.
Thinking about rehabilitation solutions in dentistry, it is necessary to get out of the old equation = dentures and find solutions that are increasingly “tailored” to the patient in front of us, analyzing his general state of health, any other associated pathologies and above all the expectation and degree of cooperation. Teamwork with other medical specialists is sometimes useful.
The evolution of rehabilitation techniques in dentistry has made it possible to apply minimally invasive implant surgery techniques with fixed or semi-fixed prosthetic solutions to older patients, without excluding conservative solutions of the dental elements deemed recoverable, and without resorting to complex bone regeneration interventions.
The rehabilitation of the smile has even more in this age group as a goal to promote psychological well-being and the effectiveness of the chewing function.
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