Clinical Report of the Immediate Placement Implants in Patients Aged 80 and Over: Five Cases and a Short Review.

Abstract

With the population aging, the proportion of elderly individuals is expected to increase, and the proportion of individuals over 80 is also likely to increase. Given that the population is aging and life expectancy is increasing, elderly patients who have lost their teeth will also increase. Impaired masticatory function caused by tooth loss is a risk factor for cognitive decline and frailty, and neglecting to treat tooth loss is a critical issue. In this report, 5 patients over 80 requested dental implants for new missing teeth and underwent immediate implant placement. All patients were treated by the same surgeon using the same technique, materials, and dental implants. Five elements were measured for the peri-implant bone from the cone-beam computed tomography images. All patients were followed for 3 or more years and exhibited good progress without any abnormal findings in their oral cavities or notable radiographic abnormalities such as bone absorption or peri-implantitis. Compared with conventional treatment with delayed placement, combining immediate implant placement and regenerative medicine for fixed superstructures may be the better option for missing tooth replacement if the conditions are suitable. Thus, this treatment modality may improve the quality of life in elderly patients, especially super elderly patients.