Hey, a topic I actually can add some information about in the off topic board! First off, it is almost impossible to give any opinion without actually seeing this patient. Having older patients transition into dentures is a very difficult process for some. I've had some that have their teeth removed, put in their dentures, and never look back. I've had others that never liked them, even though they had no other choice but to have them removed. Keeping some teeth is alway helpful, since they can support a partial denture which is much more secure then a complete denture. One problem is if these teeth are not sound enough, the partial denture will fail in a short time (year or two), leaving the patient to undergo more work. The proper diagnosis can only be done with radio-graphs a chair-side exam. Also, having any periodontal disease or abscessing teeth in an elderly patient is never a good situation. If having the teeth out is imminent, I would recommend complete dentures as soon as possible. If the lower denture are not acceptable to the patient for stability (common), perhaps a few implants to stabilize it would be in the future. Now, where does this bill get sent!
