Proper fit is essential for dentures to work. Periodically, adjustments and relinements have to be made in order to maintain proper fit. This is because new dentures are made to fit properly at first, but as tissues in your mouth change

New dentures are made to fit properly, but as the tissues in your mouth change over time, your dentures will need to be adjusted, relined, and eventually replaced.

One of the reasons that dentures sometimes need to be adjusted is to relieve the sore spots that develop in the mouth. These adjustments are made in the dentist office.

Relinement of dentures is needed when the denture fit becomes noticeably changed over time. This change in fit is caused by your jaw bone receding. The jaw naturally and continually shrinks when natural teeth are missing. Unfortunately, nothing short of dental implants can stop this. Many people lose up to 60% of their original jawbone mass in the first three years after getting dentures.

Many bad habits can also affect denture fit. Sleeping with your dentures in can cause you to grind your teeth and clench your jaw. This can accelerate shrinkage. Weight loss or weight gain can also affect the shape of your gums.

Once this affects how the base of your dentures fit the surface of your gums, you will need to get a relinement for a better fit. This will probably be within the first several months after you receive your new dentures. This cycle of denture relinement will need to be continued for the life of your dentures.

Denture replacement will have to be arranged every 5 to 10 years or so. This is because your mouth will have changed so much by that time that your old dentures simply will not fit any longer. In some instances, old denture teeth can be fit in a new base. In other instances, we may have to make an entirely new base with all new denture teeth.

You may realize that your denture needs to be replaced when you notice any of the following problems:

You get your dentures relined, but that does not improve the fit.
Your mouth is always sore and irritated.
Your face changes.
You have difficulty chewing certain foods.
Your dentures fall out when you laugh or talk.
The denture teeth become worn, or the denture is broken.
You have headaches or pain in your jaw joints or neck.

Although relinement and replacement are never fun for denture patients, the importance of a good fit cannot be underestimated. When dentures do not fit well, they become loose, and the areas around them become prone to infections, sores, and excess scar tissue. Poorly fitted dentures will make chewing more difficult and affect how much your jaw muscles and joints function.

Dentures that are consistently relined and maintained at a proper degree of fit prevent these problems. They also keep your appearance looking good.

Labels: cosmetic dentures, denture relinement