Do You Want the Confidence to Speak Without
Worrying About Your Dentures?
Emotional and Psychological
Distress
Improper fit or unnatural-looking
dentures can make it difficult and embarrassing to speak, eat and
socialize.
Poor
Fit
Loose or improper fitting
dentures can cause excessive friction between the soft tissues and
the dentures, resulting in sore spots that may become infected.
Unnatural
Aesthetics
"Chicklet" teeth
that are all the same color can be a tell-tale sign that a person
is wearing a denture. The same is true with overly dark teeth.
Other signs are flat teeth, "picket fence" teeth, too
much gum, too much teeth or not enough teeth showing.
Did you know
that your
dentures need to be replaced at least every 3 years?
This should be no surprise!
Would you expect clothes, that you wore all day, everyday, to last
20 years? Even if they do, there would definitely be considerable
wear and tear. Certainly, they would not fit in the same
way they once did. You should expect no less from your dentures!
- The gums and ridges of your mouth change over time while dentures
do not.
- A denture cannot do its job properly for more than 3 years.
- Wearing the same dentures for more than 3 years can cause
changes in your mouth that are often irreversible. For
instance, a bad fitting denture can cause the ridges to shrink
faster. Therefore, the denture becomes loose. In that case,
it then becomes that more difficult to fit future dentures.
Care of Your Dentures
Caring for your dentures
is not difficult, but it does take a little time and effort each
day. With regular maintenance and daily attention, your dentures
can stay looking and feeling fresh.
New Denture Bases
Over time, your ridges
will naturally shrink as the bone recedes and supporting tissues
change. This change will be more rapid with some patients
than with others and is affected by the condition of your health
and the protective care of your ridges. When this resorption
progresses to the point where your dentures are too loose, or
your
facial appearance starts to change for the worse, it's time to
have your dentures rebased, relined, or remade.
Annual Examination
At least once a year,
your should make an appointment with your dentist for a thorough
examination of your entire mouth. Such an examination provides
your dentist with an opportunity to correct any problems that may
have appeared due to natural and progressive changes in your oral
structures that can cause shifting of the dentures, undue pressure
on supporting ridges, or damage to oral structures and bony projections.
This step is crucial to maintaining correct alignment of your
dentures as well as good oral health and healthy ridges. At that
time, we also recommend an annual oral cancer screening. In
addition, regular professional cleaning and polishing will help
to prevent
disagreeable tastes and odors from forming on your dentures.
