What Problems Can Ill Fitting Dentures Cause?

Dentures, also known as false teeth, come in many varieties ranging from uppers and lowers to partials. These appliances fit into your mouth and allow you to speak, eat and smile with a full set of fake teeth. However, if you have ill fitting dentures that don’t fit properly, they can develop issues as time goes by.

Here we discuss some of the issues caused by ill-fitting dentures, and what to look for.

How Are Dentures Designed To Fit In My Mouth?

Your dentist will conduct a series of fittings with measurements over the course of a few visits. A mold is used that you bite into and this creates an impression that aids in the designing of your dentures. Follow-up visits will see these dentures worked on if required until they fit correctly.

To learn more about the denture procedure steps, click here.

How Should Dentures Fit In Your Mouth?

Dentures should fit snugly in place if they have been properly designed. Your mouth is as individual as your fingerprint and this requires the fit of your dentures to be specific to the shape of your mouth and gum line. Dentures can become loose over time due to a number of different reasons.

What Causes Dentures To Become Loose Fitting?

Changes in the shape of your jaw or gum line can impact how your dentures fit. This can happen through aging and from a trauma of some kind such as an accident that breaks the jaw. Dropping your dentures or if they warp from drying out can also change the way they fit.

Can Ill Fitting Dentures Cause Health Problems?

Poorly fitted dentures can cause a number of problems ranging from difficulties eating to mouth and gum irritations. These denture irritations can develop into sores and become infected. This will damage soft tissue and will develop into discomfort that may cause you to stop wearing them.

How Are Dentures Supposed To Fit?

When your false teeth have been properly fit to your gum line and mouth, once you get used to wearing them, you should not even notice you have false teeth. They should fit snugly in place and permit you to do all the things you used to be able to do with your natural teeth.

For some tips on getting used to wearing your dentures, click here.

Can Ill-Fitting Dentures Be Fixed?

There are a couple of temporary solutions that can assist in correcting the problem of poorly fitted dentures. The most common is to have them relined. You can either have this done professionally by your dentist or by purchasing an over-the-counter DIY kit.

The professional relining takes about 30-minutes and requires your dentist to take your dentures and remove a small layer of the material that holds your false teeth in place along your gum line. The idea is to improve the fit by taking away some of the denture material.

Your other option is to use a do-it-yourself home denture reliner kit. These consist of a paste you mix and apply to the side of the denture that sits against your gums. You then insert the false teeth and bite down on them until the relining material sets. This creates a new gum impression.

Home reline kits also come with adhesive pads. You just cut them to fit and place them on your dentures as you would the paste material. Insert your dentures and bite to form the fit. In many cases, this type of treatment will remedy the poorly fitting dentures for a while.

How Long Does A Soft Reline Last?

Relining is considered a temporary solution to loose-fitting dentures. Expect a relining (especially a DIY reliner option) to last as little as a few months, but you may be able to repeat the procedure if desired. You may get lucky and it may last longer, but there are no guarantees.

However, the best and long-lasting solution to dentures that have become loose fitting is to get new dentures designed.

How Often Should You Have Dentures Relined?

You should be visiting your dentist at least once a year, even if you wear false teeth. You can reline bad fitting dentures when necessary, with a professional relining lasting longer than a home remedy. However, you should consider getting new dentures after five to ten years.

In Conclusion

Dentures are false teeth that permit you to eat, speak and smile. However, aging or other changes to your jaw and gum line can result in dentures not fitting properly. Without correcting an ill fitting dentures problem, you risk developing oral sores that can become infected and cause discomfort.

Eventually, you will have to replace those ill fitting dentures with a new set that are fitted properly but there are temporary solutions you can use in the meantime. Relining can extend the life of your dentures, but the best solution is to have a new set of dentures created to fit correctly.