If you’re missing a lot of teeth, dentures can make an incredible difference in how you look and feel. However, as wonderful as they can be, there’s almost nothing worst than a set of prosthetics that don’t fit well. Not only are they irritating, they can also cause certain health complications if you aren’t careful.
Here are a few reasons why well-fitting dentures are important, and what you can do to make sure that your prosthetic stays in place.
Complications from Poorly Fitting Dentures
Obviously, having your dentures fall out when you eat and speak is enough of a reason to make sure that yours fit well. However, there are some even more irritating issues that you could run into if you allow your prosthetic to stay in poor condition for too long.
For one, if you still have natural teeth in your mouth, dentures that move frequently could grind against them. As you can imagine, this is bad for both your teeth and your prosthetic. This kind of movement can also irritate the gums, leading to sores or even bleeding.
Signs that Your Dentures Don’t Fit Well
While you’d think it’d be obvious whether your dentures fit, there are plenty of instances where people just get used to the feel of a loose prosthetic. They may become overly reliant on denture adhesive, or just wear their prosthetic less than they should.
Ideally, your dentures should be able to stay in place with just suction alone and shouldn’t move or wiggle during normal activities. You shouldn’t need any more than a pea-sized amount of adhesive to keep it in place.
What to Do if Dentures Don’t Fit
If you think your prosthetic isn’t fitting quite as well as it should, you should talk to a dentist about a relining. They can fix your dentures so that they better fit your gums, leading to a more comfortable experience.
It could also be the case that your dentures don’t fit because they’ve broken, or that there’s a hairline fracture that you can’t really see. Your dentist will be able to check for this kind of damage and either repair it themselves or send it to a lab for repair.
About the Author
Dr. Anil Patel’s favorite thing about his work is being able to help people smile their brightest. Being able to watch people adopt a new attitude when they see their new smile makes all the work he does for his patients worth it. Dr. Patel initially studied dentistry at a government dental college in India before moving to the U.S., where he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Southern California School of Dentistry.
If you have any questions about dentures, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (817) 717-6788.