Bob Dzianik asked 5 years ago I have been wearing complete dentures for the past 2 1/2 years. After the first six months, the inside of my lower lip (where the base edge of the denture lies) started to become sore. I brought this to the attention of my dentist and he said to be patient, that the area needed to develop a callous. After another six months, my inside lower lip developed a tough callous line running horizontally which I can feel and see. The line is a tongue’s width above the connective tissue in the center. Still, the pain persisted, so I returned to my dentists. His advice was that there was nothing that could be done, that I must just deal with it and allow the callous to take care of it. Now a year and a half later, the pain still persists. I can wear my lowers comfortable for about four to six hours, then the inside of my lower lip becomes so painful (stinging) that I have to take them out for the rest of the day. The affected area does not bleed, just stings and it’s right along the callous line. I am thinking that maybe my lower denture somehow pulls at my inner lower lip, pinching it somehow. I don’t quite understand the dynamics of it. Is there an issue with my lower denture that my dentist is missing? Can anything be done? I have not seen this issue presented anywhere on the Internet, is my issue that unique?
askdenturist answered 5 years ago Hello, Thank you fro your question.
Your situation is actually very common with people who wear complete dentures, especially the lower denture. From what you mentioned in your question, it indicates that there is too much pressure in the frontal area of the lower soft tissue between the inside of your lower lip and the front of the lower ridge where the denture rests in. Many times when the lower impressions are taken, the Labial frenum (the vertical connective tissue in the center) is not extended enough, which is then not relieved enough in the Final lower impression, and then not relieved enough in the completed lower denture. As well, the impression may have been extended too deep, resulting in pressures on and surrounding both sides of the Labial frenum. These over pressures can possibly cause the symptoms you are describing, and can be easily relieved and adjusted by your Dental practitioner. The Labial notch (the vertical notch in the front of your lower denture) can be opened up more, and the borders or Labial flanges on each side can be recontoured to fit better and not be exerting pressures in this area. I urge you to revisit soon your Dental practitioner who made the dentures to have this adjusted and/or refitted to relieve this continuing discomfort. If the discomfort does not lessen, the dentures have to be reexamined. There could possibly be not enough “free-way space” between your upper and lower anterior teeth, which can also result in too much pressure exerted in the front areas of your lower ridge in the same areas you are describing. I hope this helps.