Augmentation procedures for geriatric patients

Since 2010 global demographics have revealed an ever-increasing elderly population.

Aged patients, who tend to present with partial or total tooth loss, inevitably need more complex and higher quality dental rehabilitation, including dental implant therapy.

Nevertheless, a recent systematic review provides evidence that aged patients receiving dental implants have excellent implant survival rates, clinically acceptable marginal bone loss changes and minimal complications.¹

Therefore, it seems that advanced age alone should not be a contraindication for dental implant therapy, and implants can be a recommended treatment option in the rehabilitation of elderly, edentulous patients who are in reasonably good health and want to improve their oral function and quality of life.²

Systemic conditions

However, aged patients frequently suffer from one or more systemic diseases, especially diabetes and bone-related disorders, most of which not only restrict the surgical procedures that can be performed but also compromise implant success.

Before choosing an appropriate therapy, it is extremely important to obtain a thorough medical history and a detailed report of systemic conditions. Also, a comprehensive risk assessment should be conducted on a case-by-case basis. Safe surgical procedures and implant success can be expected only if the overall conditions of aged patients are considered.

Bone substitute to minimize surgical trauma

When bone augmentation is unavoidable, instead of autologous bone, xenogenic or alloplastic bone substitutes with comparable clinical outcomes like Geistlich Bio‑Oss^® can be recommended. Donor site morbidity is avoided, and surgery time is reduced.3 Collagen membranes such as Geistlich Bio‑Gide^®, with its biocompatibility and ease of use, are also effective in dealing with surgical complications like Schneiderian membrane perforations.