Loose lower dentures 5 solutions Case 2 Lower Denture with Special Dental Crowns

Lower dentures are normally the trickiest denture for people to get used to. Here are 3 reasons they are often loose and uncomfortable.

1. Your tongue is the strongest muscle in the body. It can easily flick a lower denture around.
2. A lower denture only has a thin horseshoe shaped area of gum to sit on (unlike an upper denture which can rest on almost the whole surface area of your upper jaw & palate and also has suction). The lips are pushing the lower denture backwards and your tongue is pushing it forwards.
3. An older denture may not fit as snugly as when it was first made. Over time the jaw bone reabsorbs (or shrinks). This resorption happens the most during the first 6 months after a tooth has been removed.

Loose lower dentures – 5 solutions

1. If you have an old denture that used to be comfy and that you are happy with, appearance wise, but has become loose, an option is to realign the fitting surface. This means putting a new layer of acrylic (pink plastic) on the fitting surface of the denture. This fills up any gaps between the denture and the gum
2. Making a basic new denture
3. If there are teeth present making a denture with clasps (or hooks) that clip around the teeth to aid retention
4. If there are teeth present placing dental crowns on teeth adjacent to the denture with special attachments which the denture snugly clips onto. Special attachment crowns which also have milled parallel walls make for a very satisfactory solution – a secure denture and no visible clasps or hooks – see my case below
5. Retaining the denture with dental implants

Case study – Lovely lady from Takapuna who wanted a lower partial denture with Dental Crowns with milled parallel margins and special attachments

This lovely patient had several lower teeth that had failed. After removing them and letting the lower gums heal I placed two dental crowns on her lower eye. These crowns are precion made with special attachments & parallel walls that the denture snugly fits into. I then constructed a lower chrome cobalt acrylic partial denture that clicks into the special attachments & milled margins of the two dental crowns. Run your mouse over the picture below to view before and after.

Here is the view from the front. Note that without denture clasps the cosmetic effect is more pleasing.

Posted by Andrea

Milford Dentists is proud to help the good people of the North Shore with all their dental requirements; especially in our mission to help make comfortable, functional, aesthetically pleasing, natural looking dentures - From Devonport and Belmont up through Takapuna, Castor Bay,Mairangi Bay & Browns Bay as well as Albany, Northcote, Hillcrest & the Whangaporoa Peninsula give us a call - 09 4896575.

Dentures And False Teeth Q And A Dental Health Guide

Do you or your loved ones lack some or all of their teeth? Whether it is from gum disease, tooth decay or injury, replacing, missing teeth will result in a more attractive appearance and be of benefit to your health because amongst other things you will be able to chew your food better. 

Earlier dentures (or false teeth) were usually painful, bulky, and fitted poorly; but today’s technology and innovations have enabled remarkable improvement in their construction and fitting. Conventional dentures are crafted from modern lightweight materials that are much more comfortable to wear and also closely resemble your natural teeth. 

Across the many years we have provided dentures to a wide range of clients and understandably recurring questions and queries related to the process of replacing missing teeth continue to be asked. Below you can find a collection of the most commonly asked questions in a short denture guide for our regular blog readers and clients.

1. What are dentures? Dentures replace missing (upper or lower)  teeth and the surrounding tissues. Although removable, dentures are constructed from a range of materials and available in a variety of designs that bond or clasp onto teeth or dental implants. 
2. What are the different types of dentures? Dentures are available in 3 categories – Full (long lasting), partial (long lasting) or immediate (Often short term though sometimes can last a long time).
3. What is a Full denture? These are a full set of dentures, for patients whose teeth (on either or both arches) are missing. Complete Full dentures are fitted from 8-12 weeks after gum tissue has begun healing but ideally after 6 months. Clients may need a period to adapt to changes that can occur to the oral cavity muscles, saliva, bone & tongue with the introduction of Full dentures to the mouth.
4. What is a partial denture? A dental bridge or partial denture is used to correct gaps when one or more natural teeth in the upper or lower jaw are remaining. A partial denture improves your ability to chew and helps maintain the tooth alignment, often using a metal construction to hold in place a replacement tooth (attached to a pink or gum coloured base).
5. What is an immediate denture? A temporary dental solution before the placement of conventional (permanent) dentures or Dental Implants or Dental Bridges, after tooth extraction, immediate dentures can require ongoing adjustments during the healing process.
6. What are dentures made of today?  Although now constructed from a wide range of superior materials including - acrylic, cast metal, and valplast, removable dentures today are fabricated with the same purpose as the earliest prosthetic devices - to replace missing teeth and eliminate potential problems caused by gaps.  
   
   Acrylic is used to make standard full dentures & partial dentures. It is a comparatively low-priced material which can also be quickly and easily added to existing dentures to maintain a patient's appearance. More complex dentures can have a Chrome Cobalt or Titanium support base
7. What are valplast dentures? Valplast® is a flexible, robust nylon based denture reserved for partial dentures due to its unique physical and aesthetic properties that also provide a more secure, natural outcome than acrylic. Valplast® is also an ideal choice for patients who suffer allergic reactions to acrylic and metal dental materials. 

Missing teeth and dentures require many dental considerations unique to you.  We can discuss your personal situation and ideal outcomes to evaluate if dentures, bridges or dental implants are best suited for you. If you are missing teeth – contact our Team or call us today  - (09) 489 6575