Dentures - Are They Right For You?
New dentures are made to fit your mouth accurately and our goal is to maximize for your comfort and functioning efficiency as well as optimizing the appearance of your teeth and gums.
They are, however, a new thing your oral tissues will need to adapt to and the successful use of new dentures depends a critically on your cooperation and perseverence.
Advantages of dentures
Important limitations and things to note about using dentures :
They are, however, a new thing your oral tissues will need to adapt to and the successful use of new dentures depends a critically on your cooperation and perseverence.
Advantages of dentures
- low cost
- usually not invasive - no cutting of teeth or surgery
Important limitations and things to note about using dentures :
- Dentures do move during function. Being removable, dentures cannot be too tight and the muscles of the mouth take time to become accustomed to a new denture. Related to this is the fact that it is common for food to get trapped in between the denture and the teeth/gums while eating and this must be cleaned thoroughly
- Dentures can break if dropped or if too much force is exerted on them.
- You need to wear your denture regularly except when you are sleeping.
- When you are not wearing your denture, immerse it in a bowl of cool water. NEVER leave it dry or place in hot water. This will almost certainly cause some distortion.
- A new denture sometimes seem bulky and cause gagging sensation. Your tongue may feel crowded. These sensations are normal especially if you are using dentures for the first time or a significant change has been made to the design of your dentures but usually disappear as you become accustomed to them.
- Dentures usually require a period of adaptation and often some adjustments.
- When eating, you will need to avoid hard or sticky foods and liquid which are too hot. Unfortunately the denture plate does reduce your mouth's ability to detect temperature and dentures can be dislodged by sticky foods.
- Denture teeth generally only exert roughly 10% of the force of natural teeth so that realistically some changes in your diet pattern is likely to be necessary
- The pronunciation of certain words may seem strange at first. Sometimes the muscles of your tongue, cheeks and lips will dislodge your denture. You may have to practise keeping your denture in place with these same muscles
- The presence of dentures usually puts more strain on the remaining teeth and gums as well as increasing the tendency to trap food (and hence increase the likelihood of dental caries (tooth decay)) your remaining teeth can usually be kept for a long time but maintenance is critical.
- There are aesthetic limitations as to the colours of denture teeth, the denture base itself and the design of wires and attachments which may be visible.
Durability of dentures
Dentures do wear out and because of the changes to the denture and the teeth and gums that will occur over time, dentures typically need to be changed every 3-5 years even if they seem to be well fitting.
Having to change a good fitting denture after 5 years may seem odd and counter-intuitive but there are a number of reasons for this :
Overclosure
The denture teeth are likely to have worn down somewhat and this can lead to the dentures not being as "tall" or "thick" as they were originally.
The gums also tend to shrink under the pressure of denture bases. These 2 changes lead to the jaws not being held at the correct height and leads to overclosure of the mouth. Overclosure's effects include
The changes in the gums and the shape of the denture cannot help but change the way the denture fits. Of course in most cases this is hardly noticed as the denture wearer is using them every day and the changes are very gradual but when the gums and denture base do not fit well anymore, there will usually be excessive pressure on certain areas and less pressure in others. This leads to increased and uneven resorption of the underlying bone.
What to do when dentures get damaged or broken
Repaired dentures generally are not as durable or well fitting as new dentures and it is advisable to have new dentures made if a significant breakage has occurred. While in many cases it is possible to repair a broken denture, this should be regarded as an emergency measure to enable the wearer to continue using the denture while a new denture is made.
Spare dentures?
It is usually not advisable to make 2 sets of dentures at the same time. Denture fabrication is not like mass manufacturing and it is usually not possible to get 2 sets of dentures that are exactly the same in every way. Because of that, our experience is that patients who make 2 sets of dentures usually end up with a favourite one which they will wear frequently and a less favoured set that they will not wear. Over time the denture that is not used will no longer fit because of the changes in the tissues discussed previously.
If a spare denture is desired it is usually better to make 1 set first, get used to it and then make a second set and wear the second set while keeping the first set as a spare.
If you are in the habit of changing your dentures every 3-5 years you will inevitably have older dentures which should still be in acceptable condition (though not as well fitting as the new ones). These should be carefully kept if a spare is desired
Dentures do wear out and because of the changes to the denture and the teeth and gums that will occur over time, dentures typically need to be changed every 3-5 years even if they seem to be well fitting.
Having to change a good fitting denture after 5 years may seem odd and counter-intuitive but there are a number of reasons for this :
Overclosure
The denture teeth are likely to have worn down somewhat and this can lead to the dentures not being as "tall" or "thick" as they were originally.
The gums also tend to shrink under the pressure of denture bases. These 2 changes lead to the jaws not being held at the correct height and leads to overclosure of the mouth. Overclosure's effects include
- making a person appear older because of the reduction in the height of the lower face
- increasing the risk of fungal infections around the corners of the lip
- placing more strain on the jaw joints which now have to function at a different position
- changing the chewing geometry so that chewing forces are not optimal
The changes in the gums and the shape of the denture cannot help but change the way the denture fits. Of course in most cases this is hardly noticed as the denture wearer is using them every day and the changes are very gradual but when the gums and denture base do not fit well anymore, there will usually be excessive pressure on certain areas and less pressure in others. This leads to increased and uneven resorption of the underlying bone.
What to do when dentures get damaged or broken
Repaired dentures generally are not as durable or well fitting as new dentures and it is advisable to have new dentures made if a significant breakage has occurred. While in many cases it is possible to repair a broken denture, this should be regarded as an emergency measure to enable the wearer to continue using the denture while a new denture is made.
Spare dentures?
It is usually not advisable to make 2 sets of dentures at the same time. Denture fabrication is not like mass manufacturing and it is usually not possible to get 2 sets of dentures that are exactly the same in every way. Because of that, our experience is that patients who make 2 sets of dentures usually end up with a favourite one which they will wear frequently and a less favoured set that they will not wear. Over time the denture that is not used will no longer fit because of the changes in the tissues discussed previously.
If a spare denture is desired it is usually better to make 1 set first, get used to it and then make a second set and wear the second set while keeping the first set as a spare.
If you are in the habit of changing your dentures every 3-5 years you will inevitably have older dentures which should still be in acceptable condition (though not as well fitting as the new ones). These should be carefully kept if a spare is desired