Ask the Dentures Dentist

Question: I just got new dentures. The inside of each is as rough as rough sandpaper. Should these have been polished?

Dr. Hair: While the denture is polished on the outside, the inside is not.  The denture is supposed to fit into every crevice (or nook and cranny if you will).  This intimate adaptation to your tissues insures the best fit for the longest lasting restoration.  If you were to polish the inside, you would loose some of that adaptation.

The only reason for concern would be if the "sandpaper surface" were to cause sore spots; then you would need to have the offending area adjusted by your dentist.

 
Question: I have always had porcelin dentures and have been very happy with them.  This new set is plastic.  How long should I expect them to last?  Will they discolor faster?  (Im thinking of plastic bowls that discolor quickly.) 

Question: I am 47 yrs old and ready to get dentures. I have had bad teeth since I was young due to poor dental hygene. I have 3 teeth in the top which 2 are porclein and have on ten left in the bottom. I also have peradontal gum disease in the middle of my bottom teeth. My question is; Would it be better to go ahead and get both the top and bottom dentures instead of just the top? In the past I have had my teeth fixed 3 different times, but due to my past drug abuse (5 yrs clean) even my gums are in bad shape. I am a smoker. And could I get implants even with my gums in bad shape?

Dr Hair: Keep in mind that I am answering your question without ever looking into your mouth...  Since you state that you have periodontal disease, and you are missing several teeth, I would have to assume that your bite is not level due to the other teeth drifting and shifting.  If you are going to have both upper and lower dentures, it is always better to do them at the same time.  Otherwise, you make one denture fit against the shifted and drifted teeth of the other arch.  When you have the second denture fabricated, it is made to fit against the first denture.  Then you have dentures that are as irregular as the teeth were.  I have yet to have a denture patient who did not want me to make their new teeth prettier than the ones we were removing.

Implants are always a possibility as long as you have enough jaw bone or if new bone can be grafted.  Of course, the number of implants and the design of your restorations would have to be determined on an individual basis.

Question: Dr. Hair, how soon after you get your new partial would it need to be relined?

Dr. Joe Hair:   There is no one right answer here.  Some folks never have a reline while others seem to require service rather frequently.  In dental school, I was taught that all dentures and partials needed to be serviced (relined, rebased, or remade) every six to eighteen months.  Each case should be evaluated on its on merits.  My personal opinion is that if the partial rocks, it needs to be relined.

Question: I have upper and bottom dentures,and I really do like them except for one thing I can not eat breads,gum,cheese all of these foods stick to my plates and they cost me alot of money,alot! Is there any dentures out there will not stick to the foods I eat.Please help.

Dr. Seth: Sorry but not really. You could get a palateless denture that are supported by Implants which would give you better results.

I need a upper denture but I have a gag problem. Implants probably are not a good option for me. I would like to have a horseshoe palate. I think I can wear that but will I have more bone loss if I do not have a full palate? Thank You
Connie, CA

Dr. Parker
I do feel that a horseshoe denture will be less stable and cause more bone loss. The ridge in the upper arch is made of a softer bone than the roof of your mouth. When we make a denture we try to capture as much of the roof of the mouth as possible because it is the most stable bone, and we can establish a seal where the hard and soft palate meet. With a horseshoe denture we would not be able to capture the stable bone or establish a seal and the denture would most likely fall out much more easily. I would recommend capturing the entire hard palate and then cut the acrylic back in the trial mock up denture set up and see how you respond. I hope this helps.

What can I use to brighten my dentures??
Rose, NC

Dr. Parker

My mother has upper & lower dentures and they are a few years old but now she complains a lot about them not chewing her food well therfore she is not eating as well. Is there any such thing as sharpening dentures? or do I buy another set. These cost 1,000 dollars and I was hoping they would be her last set.

Wilma, VA

Dr. Hair: There can be several reasons that your mother is having difficulty chewing.
Denture teeth are made out of 2 materials: porcelain and plastic.  While it has been said that the plastic teeth are more kind to the ridges (gums) where the dentures sit, the plastic teeth can wear more rapidly.  Less expensive dentures are more likely to have less expensive teeth - the cheap, plastic teeth really seem to wear out faster. So it is possible that she has worn out the teeth.

The pink plastic does not change shape; however, the dentures can become loose and less stable.  The horse-shoe shaped bones that hold our teeth are meant to do just that - hold our teeth.  When the teeth are gone, the bone resorbs (dissolves away).  As the bone disappears, the teeth become loose and less stable.  Imagine trying to eat with big pieces of plastic in your mouth.  Then imagine trying to eat with big, loose, unstable pieces of plastic in your mouth.  It is amazing that these folks can eat at all.

It could be a combination of the above 2 situations: worn out teeth and loose, unstable dentures.  Most likely a new set of dentures would help her, but you need to take her to the dentist of your choice to see what your (her) options are.

Can you made a lower denture that will absolutely not float and stay stable on the gums?

Dave, MO

Dr. Hair:Yes you can, but it will require some dental implants.  Only a couple of traditional implants (or a few of the mini dental implants) if you don't mind some movement but still maintain that stability.  If you require rigid stability with no movement, you will need several dental implants.

Can you make a denture off the one you wear. just alittle tighter but using your same denture.

David, KY

Dr. Hair: To answer your question, I must first make an assumption.  I will assume that you have a denture that you like, but it is loose - it doesn't fit well any more.
When a denture becomes loose, it is not the denture that changes; your gums and jawbone actually shrink, and become smaller.
As long as the denture and the teeth are in good shape, the denture can be relined.  An impression is taken inside your denture of your ridge (or gums).  Through a process in the dental lab, the impression material is replaced with new acrylic bonded to your denture.  The resulting denture is almost like a new denture.