Oral Health Impact and Prosthetic Rehabilitation in Older Adults
Summary
Oral health in later life is a critical determinant of overall well-being, influencing nutrition, social engagement and systemic health. Tooth loss in older adults leads to impaired mastication, altered dietary intake and heightened risk of malnutrition. Psychological impacts include diminished self-esteem, social withdrawal and increased prevalence of depressive symptoms. Prosthetic rehabilitation, encompassing conventional complete and partial dentures, implant-supported overdentures and emerging digital workflows, aims to restore function, aesthetics and quality of life. Advances in digital scanning, computer-aided design and additive manufacturing have begun to transform clinical practice by offering personalised, cost-effective prostheses. However, disparities in access persist across socioeconomic and geographic settings, underscoring the need for equitable financing models and policy interventions. A growing body of research demonstrates interconnections between oral status, nutritional screening and mental health, advocating integrated care pathways. The global burden of edentulism among those aged 65 and over remains substantial, prompting innovations in biomaterials, retention mechanisms and patient-centred outcome measures. Ultimately, successful prosthetic rehabilitation in older adults requires a multidisciplinary approach that addresses clinical function alongside psychosocial and systemic considerations.
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Oral Health Impact and Prosthetic Rehabilitation in Older Adults publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in oral health impact and prosthetic rehabilitation in older adults across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Edentulism: Complete loss of natural dentition.
Removable dental prosthesis: A non-fixed appliance replacing missing teeth that can be removed by the patient.
Implant-supported prosthesis: A dental restoration anchored by osseointegrated implants to enhance retention and stability.
Additive manufacturing: Layer-by-layer fabrication of dental prostheses using digital 3D printing technologies.
Nutritional status: Evaluation of dietary intake and nutrient reserves, often assessed by standardised screening tools.
Salivary cortisol: A non-invasive biomarker of systemic stress measured in saliva.
Depressive symptoms: Clinical features of depression quantified by validated scales in older adults.
References
- New Assessment Model of Financing Treatment of Patients with Complete Tooth Loss. Emerging Science Journal (2024).
- Mediation of nutritional status between the number of teeth and depressive symptoms in multi-ethnic older adults from Western China. Frontiers in Public Health (2025).
- Association of Salivary Cortisol With Anxiety in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients Before and After Complete Denture Rehabilitation: An In-Vivo Analysis. Cureus (2024).
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