Dentists should recognize the oral problems that affect the elderly, but treatment should go beyond merely replacing diseased or missing parts. Elderly individuals may face unique challenges, such as tissue deficiencies and mental or emotional disorders, which are significantly different from those observed in young and middle-aged adults.
Providing care for elderly patients requires specialized knowledge and skills, just as infants and young children benefit from expertise in pediatrics and pedodontics. Similarly, a specialized field of patient care is rapidly emerging in the form of geriatric medicine and geriatric dentistry to address the unique healthcare needs of the elderly population.
