Dental and Oral Health (Seniors)

Extract upper central incisors - 85 year-old

10/01/2009

Question:

My mother, who resides in a nursing facility in Florida (I am in Chicago), received an oral exam, at my request, by a local DDS. I was informed that the following courses of treatment were recommended: (1) extraction of the #8 & #9, (2) repair of an existing upper partial, and (3) deep cleaning.....I am concerned about the removal of her upper central incisors. Simply put, I am concerned about the impact that such extractions will have upon her self-image.....having no front teeth. For reference, my mother was for 35-yrs a cosmetics & personal appearance specialist for upper-end women`s stores in New York and Chicago like Bonwit Teller, Harvy Bendel, etc... In short, there are some vanity issues here.
Options? Questions I should ask? Assurances I should seek?

Answer:

Options. Is difficult to tell without looking to the patient.

You can look for a second or third opinions.

In some cases she can choose to do nothing until she needs to removed the front teeth (if they are not infected), or removed all the teeth and go for complete dentures (if esthetics is a big issue).

In some cases the loose teeth can be replace with individual implants (more expensive), or just to be added to the existing partial (less expensive).

Questions you should ask:

Why the teeth need to be removed?

Are they infected? Are they mobile?

Can they be replace with implants?

Assurances you should seek?

None, is up to the dentist. Usually for repairs or modification of existing partial there is not warranty, if is not redone.

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Response by:

Alfredo Hernandez, DDS, MS
Assistant Professor
Department of Comprehensive Care
School of Dental Medicine
Case Western Reserve University