Endodontics and the older patient.

UNLABELLED: The number of elderly people in the population is rising and there is an increasing trend for tooth preservation. Older patients are more likely to have complex medical histories and/or physical disabilities. They are increasingly likely to retain their teeth, which could be heavily restored or broken down and root treatment may be challenging. In order to maintain teeth, a decision needs to be made as to whether or not to carry out endodontic treatment, which may be challenging in itself, and may also be associated with other age-related considerations. This paper considers endodontic issues related to the older patient, bearing in mind the plethora of considerations which may be relevant to root canal treatment. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There are many benefits of retaining teeth, but there may be disadvantages.