Nutritional and prosthodontic care for geriatric patients

Perfect health is a prize that has been the goal of mankind throughout all ages. It must be understood that there can be no separation between good bodily health and good dental health. Oral health is not separate from general health, but maintaining oral health is definitely difficult and different in old age. For older patients, clinicians should consider maintaining teeth and using functionally-orientated treatment strategies as an alternative to removable prostheses. When the remaining dentition has a poor prognosis, key teeth should be preserved as overdenture abutments and a gradual transition to edentulousness planned. Where complete dentures are provided, these can be retained using dental implants to overcome many of the problems associated with conventional replacement dentures. The elderly population of today is better informed and more demanding of oral healthcare providers than previous generations. Clinicians should be aware of all the prosthodontic treatment options available for older patients.