Entulism and prosthetic treatment in elderly patients.

Abstract

Introduction: edentulism is the loss of teeth from the final dentition, either partially or totally; It mostly affects the elderly. Objective: to describe the type of prosthesis most used for the treatment of edentulism in elderly patients and the care that must be taken both in the oral cavity and in the prosthesis, according to the professional practice of specialists consulted. Method: a qualitative investigation was carried out that sought to describe the phenomena of the health-disease process of the stomatal anatomical system related to edentulism in elderly patients, based on the opinion of professionals in the health area of the specialty dentistry branch. in oral rehabilitation; and with support in the review of the literature. Result: the ideal treatment for definitive rehabilitation in patients with edentulism would be the placement of a dental implant; however, various anatomical factors and external conditions often lead to the use of a removable prosthesis. Conclusions: although several specialists recommend the use of implants, this treatment is not the most chosen by patients due to its cost, which is why they opt for removable prostheses. Keywords: Edentulism; partial dentures; rehabilitation; treatment