Am I Too Old for Dental Implants? A Pompano Beach Dentist Answers

If you're missing a tooth and you've decided you're too old for a dental implant, you're not alone. Dr. Andrew Browne recently saw a gentleman who had no upper back teeth left on one side. Dr. Browne told him he was a good candidate for implants. His answer was "I'm just too old." He'd been through other surgeries and didn't want another one. Dr. Browne hears this a lot, and he sees it differently. Here's how we think about age and dental implants at My Pompano Dentist, and what actually decides whether an implant is right for you.

Am I too old for dental implants?

For most people, age alone isn't what decides it. The Mayo Clinic's guide to dental implant surgery describes a good candidate in terms of health, not birthdays: a jawbone that's finished growing, enough bone to hold an implant or the option of a bone graft to build it up, healthy gum tissue, and no health conditions that affect how bone heals.

A dental implant is a small post placed in your jawbone that holds a replacement tooth. Smoking can get in the way, and so can conditions that slow bone healing, so your medical history is part of planning any implant. That's true whether you're 45 or 85.

Is it worth getting dental implants at 70 years old?

If you're a good candidate, an implant gives you back a tooth you can chew with, and that's worth having at 70 or any other age. Dr. Browne puts it plainly: "our goal is to keep everyone in a full set of teeth."

He also points out that "one of the most basic functions of living is being able to chew your food." A missing tooth changes more than your smile. Without a replacement, Dr. Browne explains, "you're putting more pressure on your other teeth," and if some of those already have crowns or root canals, they can start shifting. Chewing only on one side isn't good for your balance either, because your teeth are built to work together.

Dr. Browne compares it to the rest of your health care. Most people wouldn't skip a visit to their cardiologist. You can lose your teeth and still live, but your quality of life and your confidence take the hit.

Being retired can even work in your favor. As Dr. Browne tells some of his patients, "you're retired, so time shouldn't really be a factor." Your calendar may have more room for appointments now than it did during your working years.

Is implant surgery too much for an older patient?

For a healthy patient, it's usually a lot less than people picture. In Dr. Browne's words, "a single implant is not like a major surgery." He places it with local anesthetic, so you're numb and awake, and you don't go under.

We plan every implant on a 3D scan first, so the placement is precise and gentle on you from the start. For a single implant, Dr. Browne says you're "in the chair for an hour, hour and a half." Our dental assistant Omar works alongside him. Omar is a dentist in his home country of Colombia and once learned to place implants himself, so he can help answer your questions along the way.

Like any surgery, implant surgery carries some risks, such as infection at the implant site, nerve damage or sinus problems. The Mayo Clinic notes these problems are rare, and when they do happen they're usually minor and easily treated. Your health history matters more here than your age, and we'll walk you through the whole plan before anything starts.

What if I've been told I don't have enough bone for an implant?

Being told you don't have enough bone isn't always the final word. When patients come to Dr. Browne after hearing that, a 3D scan often shows usable bone height after all.

When an area does need more support, dental bone grafting can rebuild the jawbone so it can hold an implant securely. In some cases, a different type of implant lets us work around the need for a graft. The scan shows us which path fits your mouth.

What if a dental implant isn't the right fit for me?

Then we'll tell you, and we'll show you what else can work. Along with single implants, we offer implant-supported dentures, which are anchored onto a few implants so they stay in place instead of resting on your gums, as well as traditional dentures and partials.

Maybe you've been putting off a missing tooth for years, or someone told you it was too late. Either way, you're welcome here. As we say on our homepage, "Come let me take an honest look at where things really stand and walk you through your options." It's a big decision, so there's no pressure to choose anything that day.

If you've been living with a gap because you figured you were too old to fix it, come talk it over with Dr. Browne at our Pompano Beach dental office. You can read more about single-tooth dental implants in Pompano Beach, then call us at (954) 941-2412 or send us a message to schedule a consultation.

Published by My Pompano Dentist.