A Denture gives you only about 20-30% chewing capacity compared to natural teeth, Implant supported teeth can give you up to 90% chewing capacity. Dental Implants can provide support to a full denture, making it secure which enables you to eat and speak more comfortably and with confidence.
An immediate complete denture is inserted as soon as the remaining teeth are removed. The dentist takes measurements and makes models of the patient’s jaws during a preliminary visit. With immediate dentures, the denture wearer does not have to be without teeth during the healing period.
Dentures cannot be repaired with simply any type of glue because eventually the glue will break down when being in the hostile environment of your mouth. Another concern is that most glues are toxic or poisonous, and should not be used to fix something you will be putting in your mouth all day. Dentures are repaired with denture acrylic, that is the similar materials that your pink denture gums are made of. Denture acrylic is used to repair dentures because it is safe to put in your mouth after the materials have dried, plus there is no comparison to the strength of the repair than to use glue to repair dentures.
The average person, due to the factors listed below & following the insurance guidelines, dentures should be replaced every five years. This would seem to imply that, on average, denture teeth will wear out within that time and/or the average denture patient’s jaws have changed enough that a new denture is required.
Every denture patient has individual needs. There are many factors involved when a Denturist evaluates your dentures and oral health. To be considered in this evaluation are the following factors:
SHRINKING OF THE UPPER AND LOWER JAWS AND DECREASING VERTICAL DIMENSION:
Vertical dimension (the distance between their upper and lower jaws (or how much your mouth is naturally opened or closed) and is unique for each individual. When a person’s vertical dimension is in the correct position they look better, chew better and it prevents potential problems that can occur in the temporal mandibular joint.
The bone beneath the gums of an individual who wears dentures will see a continued shrinkage for the rest of their lives. This leads to a change in vertical dimension which causes the denture to be loose. Changes in as little as 2-3 mm can have a substantial impact on how someone who wears dentures is able to function. In order to stabilize the denture additional plastic (acrylic resin) is added to the inside of a loosening denture (called relining a denture). However, relining does not restore vertical dimension in an accurate way.
When vertical dimension has been lost by three millimeters or more a new denture should be fabricated in order to restore vertical dimension and maintain functional health.
When individuals wear the same denture for extended periods they will have considerable change in vertical dimension. Since vertical dimension loss is a slow, progressive process the individual has gradually adapted to a continually increasing closed bite position. They will often have a sunken facial appearance and usually appear much older than they should.
When a person continues to function under these conditions it usually leads to changes in how a person naturally chews, causes permanent alterations to the temporal mandibular joints, or TMJ. This condition can be accompanied with significant pain and difficulty when eating. It can also cause pain and problems with the jaw motions involved with speech. It frequently becomes quite difficult, if not impossible, to restore such individual’s proper vertical dimension and chewing efficiency by way of relining or repairs to the existing denture. This denture should be replaced.
TOOTH WEAR: Excessive tooth wear will impair the ability to chew effectively, will adversely affect esthetics and cause other problems associated with lost vertical dimension. While premium denture teeth will wear at a slower rate than the standard plastic teeth, they nevertheless will wear and need to be replaced as well.
DENTURE WEAR: Dentures today are fabricated with biomaterials and are quite durable, they still will l deteriorate and exhibit change over time – – no longer properly fitting, even after relining.
Plastic, with age, loses its natural appearance and texture, and coloration fades which will make the dentures look artificial. When the plastic begins to deteriorate the dentures become more susceptible to becoming excessively contaminated with microorganisms. This contributes to mouth irritation, bad taste, and socially unacceptable odors developing. No amount of denture cleaning will seem to eliminate these problems.
Along with the care of your dentures you must ensure that you are also looking after the health of your gums. This means on a daily basis, like your dentures, you should be brushing your gums gently. This helps to maintain the health of the tissue by keeping the bacteria from building up. Any sores or issues with the tissue should be addressed immediately. Contact us for an oral health check.
At St. Paul Denture Clinic, we offer Free Consultations to all of our patients. During this consultation we are able to evaluate your dentures and oral health and determine if your dentures need to replace or not. During your visit we offer a complimentary Denture cleaning and toothbrush to take home with you. Call for an appointment 780-645-4343.