Back in hospital, 101-year-old finds dental implant intact

KOCHI: A 101-Year-old US-based Keralite, who was the oldest patient to have undergone a dental implant surgery in 2013, visited the clinic in Aluva on Monday where the operation was done for follow-up tests.

“We found that the implant is fully intact. He is perhaps the oldest patient alive with a dental implant,” said Dr Jijo Paul, the dental prosthodontist and implantologist, who conducted the surgery.It was on January 18, 2013, that Fr John Matthew Elanjileth, a Houston-based priest, underwent a surgery at Mazhuvenchery Dental Clinic, Aluva.

“He is currently 101 years, four months and 17 days old with 10 years of implant success rate. His last successful follow-up was done on Sunday at our clinic,” said Dr Paul. Fr Elanjileth, a native of Ranni, was on a short visit to Kerala from the US and will return on Wednesday. He is the maternal uncle of former DGP Jacob Punnoose.