If your kitty is otherwise healthy, there is no reason that she shouldn't be able to undergo general anesthesia for a dental procedure. You'll need to have a senior blood panel and urinalysis done first, and maybe an EKG, and the anesthetic/analgesic protocol should be tailored to her needs (eg: IV fluids before and during the dental, blood pressure monitoring, no NSAIDS, etc).
My own geriatric cat has undergone 2 dentals in the last year, and he is 20 yrs old. He did great! (and he has CKD, a heart condition, and diabetes). When it becomes a quality of life issue and starts affecting a cat's food intake, I believe that it would be kinder to euthanize than to not do anything. Painful teeth can be agonizing to live with, and we all know how well cats hide pain.
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"To close your eyes will not ease another's pain." ~ Chinese Proverb
“We must not refuse to see with our eyes what they must endure with their bodies.” ~ Gretchen Wyler
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