[Lifetime dental care: treatment for periodontally affected elderly]

Although many elderly remain healthy to an advanced age, apparently healthy and robust elderly can quickly become frail as a result of physical or psychological events. With frailty, oral health can quickly deteriorate and treatment is often difficult, with possible consequences for general health and quality of life. To prevent treatment dilemma's at an advanced age, it is advisable to think ahead when making a treatment plan for older patients and to aim for a surveyable oral situation, so in case of illness or care dependency, oral health can be maintained relatively easily. This so-called 'lifetime' dental treatment plan takes into account the various areas of frailty (physical, psychological and social), is predictable and can be modified, and takes life expectancy and general health into consideration. Lifetime dental treatment for the elderly, specifically the periodontally affected, has as yet rarely been discussed in the literature. This article represents a view of such treatment on the basis of clinical expertise.