Baby Boomers Embracing Dental Implants Fighting the Ravages of Periodontal Disease
This entry was posted on 11/7/2007 3:41 PM and is filed under ARTICLES.
LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwire - November 7, 2007) - For a generation used to getting what it wants, immediately if not sooner, aging Baby Boomers won't tolerate unattractive smile gaps caused by tooth loss from periodontal disease. Accordingly, adults 55 and older are fueling unprecedented demand for dental implants, according to experts presenting at the annual scientific meeting of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID).
"A startling two in three Americans have one or more missing teeth," said AAID President Frank Lamar, DDS. "This shows that periodontal disease is on the rise as the population grows older. As the Baby Boomers begin filing for Social Security, they also are replacing teeth weakened from periodontal disease with dental implants instead of bridgework and removable dentures. Further incentive is that highly precise computer-guided dental implant surgery has made the procedure faster, highly predicable and long-lasting with a success rate of 97 percent."
Most older adults with missing teeth have underlying periodontal disease from which bacteria from chronic gum infection can migrate through the bloodstream to vital organs. They often are unable to eat properly and develop nutritional deficiencies from an inadequate or unhealthy diet. Health-conscious Baby Boomers understand the benefits of good nutrition and know that eating properly depends on maintaining good oral health. . .
