4 Dental Services Every Senior Needs

You probably remember that dentures were a given for your parents and grandparents. However, you don’t have to suffer the same fate. Thanks to fluoridated tap water and advances in dental care, many people your age can keep their teeth for a lifetime. Read on to learn about four dental services that can preserve your pearly whites.

Regular Cleaning and Checkup

Seeing your dentist twice a year for a cleaning and exam is a good idea for everyone, but it’s even more important as you get older. Regular dentist visits can help prevent tooth loss and find oral cancers at an earlier, more treatable stage. Keeping your teeth and gums healthy can also reduce your risk of heart disease because the bacteria associated with tooth decay and gum disease can also cause plaque buildup in your arteries.

Dental Implants

One or two missing teeth often leads to more as the surrounding teeth shift and loosen. Replacing teeth soon after they are removed can prevent further tooth loss, and dental implants are a great solution. An implant is permanently placed in your jaw and feels just like a real tooth. Have more than a few gaps in your smile? All on 4 dental implants use just four implants to support an entire mouth of permanent prosthetic teeth that function just like your natural chompers.

Crowns and Bridges

If implants aren’t right for you, damaged teeth can also be saved or replaced with crowns or bridges. Crowns are often used in combination with root canal therapy, which is a procedure that removes the pulp, nerves and blood vessels of a damaged tooth while leaving the root in place. Bridges are prosthetic teeth that function by being attached to natural teeth on either side.

Orthodontics

If you thought your braces days were behind you, think again. Previously treated teeth often revert as you age, and even naturally straight teeth can begin to shift. Orthodontic treatment can not only improve your appearance but also prolong the life of your teeth by strengthening your jaw and making care and cleaning easier.

Has fear kept you away from the dentist for too long? Many remember the old days of painful extractions and laughing gas, but dental procedures have a changed a lot since you were a child. There are now many options to make the experience easier, so schedule an appointment today and keep smiling bright well into your golden years.