Implant treatment in ultra-aged society

Implant therapy is gaining presence as a prosthodontic treatment option. However, the graying of the population has led to an increase in the number of older adults requiring special consideration in implant treatment because of their systemic health problems. Additionally, with the growth of the elderly population in need of long-term care, a greater number of older adults who have received implant treatment are receiving long-term care, raising various issues that need to be addressed. In the present review article, we describe the significance of implant treatment in older adults, issues when performing implant treatment in geriatric patients, and measures to be taken when implant patients have lapsed into a state of requiring long-term care. In addition, in view of population aging, we propose an approach for applying implant treatment to older adults. This approach includes using an appropriate type of implant system depending on the remaining life expectancy and the patient's general condition, performing less invasive surgery, providing treatment using prosthetic appliances that are easy to manage and can be modified, and ensuring oral health management by providing an Implant Card to patients when the treatment is completed.