Presentation Information
[ISY-2]From Prosthodontics to Gerodontics – changes over the past 40 years and challenges for the future
*Frauke Müller1 (1. University of Geneva, Switzerland)
Keywords:
Geriatric,Edentulism,Back-off strategy
Over the last decades, demographic changes led to an increasing proportion of old, and very old persons in most industrialized populations, and most certainly in Japan. At the same time, the dental state has changed in all age groups, with more natural teeth being retained until later in life. The impact of these developments on prosthodontic care is major. Physiological ageing leads to muscle atrophy, loosening of the TM Joints, fragile tissues and deteriorated motor control. Neuroplasticity diminishes which renders denture adaptation difficult. In addition, frailty and chronic diseases become more prevalent amongst our elderly patients. Polypharmacy often creates symptoms of a dry mouth as a side effect. Especially when swallowing disorders are present, dental plaque may even present a risk for aspiration pneumonia. The classical profile of prosthodontics is nowadays more and more dominated by geriatric aspects, requiring prostheses that are simpler to handle and take into consideration the aged orofacial system, functional impairment and general health. Digital techniques prove very useful in addressing issues of neuroplasticity, and present excellent perspectives for future treatment concepts. Along with this geriatric context, the treatment itself has become more challenging to perform, and prosthodontic care requires more clinical skills and experience.