We determined the dental status of 75 consecutive patients who visited a therapeutic dental office. We divided patients into five age groups to track changes that occur with advancing age.
According to the total number of own teeth reported, it is clearly evident that persons under 50 years of age have retained dentition; persons from 50 to 64 years of age have a sufficient number of own teeth - average more than 25. It is impressive that even in the group of the oldest, the patients have a considerable number of teeth - about seventeen, with which, however, it is difficult to carry out a good masticatory function. As a person grows older, he or she progressively begins to lose teeth, and the number of intact teeth becomes fewer and fewer, up to about 3 in the group of patients over eighty.
As time progresses, tooth extraction becomes more frequent. The need for fixed prosthetic treatment increases with time. Removable dentures are more commonly required after the age of 50, with 47% of the oldest using them. Patients over the age of 80 have the same need for tooth therapeutic treatment as younger patients.
As a person ages, there is an increasing need for professional dental care to maintain good oral health.
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