The Baby Boomer generation is getting healthier and living better, more holistic lives than the generations before them. The advances in medicine not only mean that they are living longer, but more active lives. It seems as though 60 is the new 40, after all. And with today’s natural-looking dental implants, Grandparents are looking younger than ever!
Living Longer & Looking Younger with Dental Implants
Now, your average baby boomer is probably retiring a little later in life than their parents did; having access to a steady income and most likely medical and dental insurance. This all comes into play when looking at why baby boomers with dental implants are more common and why they practice certain dental care habits.
Let’s start by talking about how 60 is no longer considered an age for rocking chairs, retirement homes, and stories of wistfulness. The now-60-year-old is active, energetic and doesn’t expect to be cast aside. With feeling younger, they also want to look younger.
Baby Boomers Continue to Benefit from Advanced Technology
Dental implants have advanced drastically from cringe-worthy dentures that we associate with older generations losing their teeth. There is no more horrible glue and fake-looking teeth involved. Technicians now make implants with molds of preexisting teeth and match them in size and color. Overall, the implants today give wearers a completely natural appearance.
Dental implants have also become a lot more affordable than in the past. Moreover, people once thought of this route for dental care as something of a luxury. Now, investing in our health and easily accessible dental care makes dental implants very common and affordable.
Top Reasons for Getting Dental Implants
So, why do we even need to replace our old teeth? Because as we age, we naturally begin to lose teeth. Baby Boomers are losing so many of their teeth because they are now living long enough to experience tooth loss that comes along with aging. Science found a direct correlation between higher life expectancy, or living longer and also having to care for their teeth longer. Back in 2014, research from the Journal of The Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons showed that roughly 26% of adults 74 years and older will have lost all their permanent teeth.
With age, Boomers are seeing tooth decay, tooth loss, and/or the wear-and-tear of time on their teeth. This is not something that previous gens with shorter life expectancies had to deal with. (Since they dealt with their teeth for shorter periods.) Even if they experienced dental problems, dentists would just remove their teeth and often turn them to dentures. Fortunately, there is a greater option these days, and many seniors are turning to that instead!
More Baby Boomers Take the First Step Towards a Confident Smile
While dealing with various dental problems, Baby Boomers found themselves visiting the dentist more and more with age. Eventually, the opportunity to have a permanent solution to dental problems seemed like the most appealing idea. Dental implants afforded a viable solution compared to constantly visiting the dentist and spending a fortune on dentures.
Besides, implants look and feel almost identical to real teeth, but don’t fall out very easily. They also don’t deal with decay over time, though you will STILL have to take care of your gums and practice great oral hygiene. This is an extremely enticing offer for those dealing with extensive dental problems.
Finally, this solution is as low-maintenance as having perfectly healthy, natural teeth. When all your oral care requirements consist of daily brushing and flossing and routine dental visits, why would you not choose implants? Many dental patients grow weary of having to endure procedures like drilling, fillings, tooth extractions, and pain.
Connect with Houston’s Top Oral Surgeons & Dental Physicians
The popularity of dental implants in Baby Boomers is simply a result of being an accessible, affordable, and permanent solution to an unavoidable annoyance. So, whether you’re a Baby Boomer or from Generation X and you have missing teeth, consider contacting OMSH.
We are Greater Houston’s top oral maxillofacial surgeons and we’re here to help you regain that confident and lasting smile. Connect with us online to request a consultation. Or for more information and immediate assistance, call us at 713-804-6055.
