Periodontal treatment in elderly patients

Abstract

Lately, the life expectancies have been increasing, in part due to technologicaladvances and access to information. Therefore, eldery people are conserving their teeth for a longer period, increasing the risk of caries and periodontal disease. Inevitably, this improvement in life quality is accompaniedbychanges in dentition and oral mucosa ofelderly people. These changes ought to be clarified and undestood by both the patient and the professional, in order to find an equilibrium between them and the maintenance ofthe tooth in health and function. The present work aims to do a literature review on periodontal, clinical aspects and risk factors that affect health in elderly patients.