Restorative management of the elderly patient.
It is predicted that geriatric patients will dramatically increase in number within our working lives. Although they are considered to demand treatment less frequently than the younger age groups, there are specific issues that need to be considered when providing dental treatment for these patients. The term gerodontics has been coined to describe this subject. The need to consider family relationships and the role of carers may play a greater part in their dental management than that of the general population. As well as oral disease, the incidence of general disease is higher in this population, as is the amount of medication prescribed to treat it; these factors often complicate dental management. Special problems that will have a high dental impact on the geriatric patient may be lack of adaptive potential, poor plaque control, root caries, periodontal breakdown and levels of toothwear.
Mayday University Hospital, Croydon, Surrey, UK. Graham.Gilmour@mayday.nhs.uk
A Graham
AG
Gilmour
Claire L
CL
Morgan
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016321:Dental Care for Aged; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000517:prevention & control; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D019338:Polypharmacy; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D017213:Root Caries / Q000517:prevention & control; D014945:Wound Healing