We've placed implants for patients in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. What matters isn't age, it's your overall health and bone density. Most seniors are excellent candidates. The free consultation includes a 3D CT scan ($350 value) and medical history review to confirm.
Once a tooth is missing, the jaw bone underneath it begins to shrink. After about 12 months, you've lost roughly 25% of bone width in that area. By 5 years, the loss is profound. This affects facial structure (the “sunken” look common in long-term denture wearers), chewing ability, speech clarity, and, critically, what implant procedures are still available to you.
The earlier implants are placed after tooth loss, the better the outcome. But it's also rarely too late. Even patients with severe bone loss after decades of denture use can usually be restored, sometimes with traditional implants, sometimes with All-on-4, occasionally with zygomatic implants for the most extreme cases.
The misconception that “I'm too old” or “my bone is too far gone” keeps many seniors from even getting evaluated. The free 3D CT scan at your consultation gives a definitive answer in 30 seconds. Most seniors who think they're not candidates actually are.
Conditions our senior patients commonly have that do NOT prevent implants: well-controlled diabetes, high blood pressure on medication, controlled heart disease, mild osteoporosis, history of cardiac stents, atrial fibrillation on blood thinners, mild kidney disease, history of stroke (with cardiology clearance). Conditions that require special planning or may delay treatment: active untreated infections, uncontrolled diabetes, recent radiation therapy to the jaw, intravenous bisphosphonate medications, active cancer treatment. We screen everything thoroughly at the free consultation.
30-45 minutes. We review your medical history, take a 3D CT scan, and discuss your specific case. You leave with a written treatment plan and exact pricing, no commitment required.
If you take blood thinners, blood pressure medication, or have any chronic condition, we coordinate with your primary care doctor before surgery. Often this just confirms you're cleared. Sometimes we adjust medication timing for surgery day.
Most procedures are 2-4 hours. You're completely asleep, monitored by a board-certified anesthesiologist. You wake up in our recovery area with same-day temporary teeth (for full-arch) or stitches with healing cap (for single-tooth).
First 24 hours: rest with ice and prescribed pain management. By day 3-5, most patients return to normal daily activities. Soft food diet for 4-6 weeks while implants integrate with your jaw bone. We see you for follow-up at 1 week, 1 month, and 4-6 months.
Once your implants are fully integrated, we deliver the final permanent prosthesis. For All-on-4 and full-mouth cases, this is premium zirconia designed to last 15-20+ years.
Annual cleanings (twice a year for some), and routine implant check-ins. Implants don't get cavities and don't need root canals, but the gums around them need normal cleaning. Most senior patients find post-implant care simpler than dentures or natural teeth.
Both Dr. Maninder and Dr. Tanvir Singh are University of the Pacific graduates with deep training in implant dentistry. They place implants daily at Apex.
University of the Pacific graduate. Co-owner of a dental practice in Fair Oaks. Hundreds of implants placed. Also serves as a general dentist for the U.S. military, providing emergency dental care for soldiers prior to deployment.
UOP Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry graduate. Active member of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID), working toward Diplomate status. Internationally trained, licensed to practice in the U.S. Canada, and India.
No. There is no upper age limit for dental implants. We've successfully placed implants for patients in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. What matters is overall health and bone density, both of which we evaluate at your free consultation with a 3D CT scan and medical history review.
In most cases yes. Common conditions like controlled diabetes, high blood pressure, and most heart conditions are not contraindications for dental implants. Active untreated infections, uncontrolled diabetes, recent radiation therapy to the jaw, or certain bone-strengthening medications (bisphosphonates) require special planning. We do a complete medical screening at consultation and coordinate with your physician when needed.
Most can. We have a board-certified anesthesiologist on staff who specializes in age-appropriate anesthesia protocols. Older patients sometimes benefit from anesthesia more than younger ones, being completely asleep eliminates the stress and anxiety of a long procedure, which can be harder on cardiovascular health than the anesthesia itself. We screen carefully and adjust based on your specific health profile.
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover routine dental implant procedures. Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) sometimes include limited dental coverage, varies by plan. If implants are required as part of treatment for a covered medical condition (e.g. reconstruction after oral cancer surgery), Medicare may cover related costs. We can help you check your specific plan benefits at the free consultation.
For most seniors who can medically tolerate the procedure, yes. Implants don't slip when eating or talking, don't need adhesives, don't need to be removed nightly, and prevent the bone loss that dentures actually accelerate. Many seniors who switch from dentures to implant-supported teeth describe it as a major quality-of-life improvement.
Single-tooth implant: 1-2 hours. All-on-4 (full arch): 2-3 hours. Full-mouth (both arches): 4-6 hours. All performed under full general anesthesia by a board-certified anesthesiologist. You're completely asleep, most patients have no memory of the procedure.
Most senior patients recover well. First 24 hours: rest at home with prescribed pain management and ice packs. Days 2-7: most patients return to normal daily activities. Soft food diet for 4-6 weeks while implants integrate. Final permanent prosthesis at 4-6 months. Recovery is comparable to younger patients in most cases, bone integration speed is similar across adult age ranges.
The implants themselves are designed to last for life. The prosthesis (the bridge of teeth attached to the implants) typically lasts 15-20+ years for premium zirconia. For a senior patient, this almost always means "the rest of your life", implants placed at age 70 will outlive virtually anyone, statistically. They're a one-time investment.
We work with CareCredit, Sunbit, and Cherry, all three offer healthcare financing including 0% interest introductory periods. Single tooth: ~$69/month. All-on-4 per arch: ~$199/month. We run all three at consultation to find the best fit. Many senior patients also use FSA/HSA dollars they've accumulated.
Patients in their 60s, 70s, and 80s sometimes assume they're 'too old' for dental implants. The clinical evidence says otherwise. Long-term outcome studies on implant survival in older adults show success rates equivalent to or slightly higher than younger patients. The reason is mostly behavioral: senior patients tend to have stronger oral hygiene routines, more disciplined follow-up appointment attendance, and lower rates of the smoking and high-impact contact-sport activity that drive failure in younger cohorts. The biological capacity for osseointegration is preserved well into advanced age in most adults; bone responds to implant placement in an 80-year-old much as it does in a 50-year-old, given comparable medical health and bone density.
Common medications that older patients take are not, by themselves, contraindications. Anticoagulants (Eliquis, Xarelto, Coumadin), blood pressure medications, statins, antidepressants, and most diabetes medications are managed with appropriate protocol modifications and coordination with the patient's primary care physician. The medications that do require careful review are oral and intravenous bisphosphonates (Fosamax, Reclast) used for osteoporosis — these can affect bone remodeling around implants. We screen for these at the consultation and adjust the treatment plan when necessary; patients on these medications still often have viable implant options.
Where senior patients see the largest quality-of-life impact is in moving from removable dentures to fixed implant-supported teeth. The chewing efficiency improvement (from roughly 25% with dentures to over 90% with implants) restores the ability to enjoy a full diet, which has measurable downstream effects on nutrition, social engagement, and confidence. Many patients tell us afterward that they wish they had pursued implants 10 years earlier rather than continuing to manage dentures.
30 minutes. CBCT scan ($350 value, free). Honest treatment plan with exact pricing. Zero pressure to commit.
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Apex Implant Center is a specialty surgical center built specifically for dental implants. Whether you're researching a single tooth replacement, weighing All-on-4 against full mouth options, or evaluating financing, we've published in-depth resources on every aspect of the implant decision.