Prosthodontic considerations for managing the older adult patient

As the baby boom generation ages, it is projected that by 2050 the number of Americans older than 65 years of age will increase to a staggering 88 million. Those Americans 85 years and older will soon represent the fastest growing segment of the population, predicted to surge to 20 million by 2060. Management of chronic disease processes affecting older Americans will consume 86% of the nation's healthcare expenditures. Dentists and specialists alike must understand these disease processes and become active members of the healthcare team. Oral healthcare providers should become astute at developing treatment plan modifications that take into account the various medical conditions affecting the older adult population and provide restorative care that may simplify oral maintenance procedures as this population of patients continues to age.