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Browse answers from denturist Darryl Audette, originally shared on his radio health segment.
"teeth in a day"
Hello, Thank you, a very good question, More and more clinics are offering this specific service, resulting from the advance in technology and training of the clinicians. Like any medical and dental treatment, you want to seek only a reputable practitioner, not just the ones you see advertise on the television or hear on the radio. Seek several consultations at different clinics and judge which one you feel most comfortable at and discuss in length exactly what is going to be done and all the finances involved. No surprises later is best. There are many variations to "teeth in a day", and the procedure is tailored to your specific needs and requirements. There is no "one" way to do it. If you still have some existing natural teeth, these will be checked out as to their condition, and the practitioner will present to you a few different possible treatment plans, again requiring an in depth conversation between you and the practitioner to provide you with the best alternative. "Teeth in a day", essentially means you will be having your natural teeth extracted, and either dentures, partials, or individual teeth placed with or without implant before you go home. The healing takes place after this placement. Again, from your question, you would need to talk directly with a qualified and experienced dental practitioner to see exactly what you need and what is best for you. Do not be reluctant to seek advice and to ask lots of questions before you start any treatments. It could save you a lot of problems and unnecessary headaches later. very best regards, Darryl
I just got a new set of dentures but they are very loose, should they be ?
This is an unfortunate question, it is common, but shouldn't be normal. If your new dentures are made well they shouldn't be very loose. There are many different situations and conditions which dictate looseness and fit of dentures, but having said that, they should fit well, and preferably without the use of adhesives. There are medical conditions which will never allow dentures to be tight, and if they exist in your case, you must be made aware of them before you start your new dentures. But for the majority new denture should be well fitted and allow you to carry on with your daily living without them constantly dislodging and causing you pain. After an agreed amount of time where your dentures will settle into place, if they are still loose, you should communicate this to your practitioner, because they will rarely become tighter, and will cause continuous discomfort, resulting in you not wanting to eat, and not feeling well in general. Your practitioner should do everything at his disposal to remedy this and provide you with the best fit possible for your new dentures. Thank you,
Why can’t I keep my lower denture in place like the top one ?
A much misunderstood situation, The top denture is kept in by several conditions, including lack of air movement under the plate, the presence of saliva inside the plate, and the seal around the denture base from the rest of your mouth allowing neither air to escape out of nor enter under the denture base. Along with the borders around the denture embedding themselves into the soft tissue between your palette and your cheeks and throat. All the while the denture resting on your hard palette in the middle of the roof of your mouth. While your lower denture basically sits on what lower jaw bone covered with tissue remains, and being bombarded on all sides by moving muscles and soft tissues, not to mention your tongue. Compared to the top denture resting in a neutral relatively quiet area, the lower denture is in a constantly moving environment, trying to move or dislodge it, especially the tongue. Having said this, the lower denture can be made stable or as stable as possible only if the surrounding length and thickness of it's borders are correctly shaped to follow the contour of this environment and be relieved to allow the tongue and all the moving muscles to move. This is not easy to do, but it is very rewarding to have it done well, and as a patient you should be offered this to be done correctly. Many lower dentures that are very loose and ill fitting are because they have not been maintained properly, relined or rebased as needed. The lower denture is in many, many ways different than the top denture and should not be compared to it. It should also be treated separately because of all the different challenges that need to be conquered to make it as well fitting as possible, and this is possible if done correctly and your practitioner extends to you the time to do it . Again, seek the advice of an experienced practitioner whom you are comfortable with, and are able to communicate with easily with. A very good question ,thank you,
My new denture don’t look anything like my old ones ?
In a previously answered question, I talked about why your new dentures may not look like your old ones. A lot of it depends on the age of your old dentures and how much more support had to be added to your new ones to properly support your lips and cheeks. Sometimes, this added support such as thicker borders and higher teeth may be to much and would have to be gradually reduced. The actual teeth may have been placed either to far forward or to far inward which alters your appearance. In this case the teeth will have to be remade to fix this situation. It is a good idea to see and try on your new dentures while they are still been made to check and see if you are pleased with the appearance before they are finished, it's an easy thing to do. Either way, discuss this with your practitioner and ask him or her to adjust your new dentures so you are please with your new appearance. Please see my earlier answered question on appearance with new dentures. Thank you,
Why can’t I talk properly with my new dentures ?
In an earlier question, I answered a similar question, in that after a realistic amount of time, you still are not talking properly. You have to discuss this with your practitioner, so he or she can resolve the cause of it. It could be something very simple requiring a simple adjustment while you wait, or it may involve repositioning the front teeth requiring having the dentures remade. Either way, it should be attended to and you should be able to speak properly in time. Speech is affected by several situation, condition,s and the matter has to be diagnosed properly and the actual cause be address, instead of constant unrelated adjustments resulting in the dentures not fitting properly anymore. Thank you for your question,
Is my speech ever going to return to normal ?
Most of the time when you receive a new denture whether it's implanted or not even a new partial, your speech will be affected, in a way that some people will say they can't understand what your saying, or you yourself may notice your wording isn't as clear as before. This is quite normal and very common. One of the main reasons is that and especially if your previous dentures were very old, because the vertical height of the news dentures has been increased to make up for the old dentures been worn down from usage and the deterioration of the bone and tissues in your mouth. It can also be because the new dentures are larger. Most of this are necessary evils, but as I mentioned in earlier questions, it all can be remedied, reduced, and adjusted, so in time you should be speaking better. If this is not the case, and the front top teeth have been positioned where they should not have been, either too far forward or to far backward, then you have a problem. If the teeth are not where they should be, then you will never be able to speak properly, and the only remedy is to have the dentures remade with the teeth in their proper position, and this will give the tongue the correct space in which to help you speak properly. If after the designated amount of time from your practitioner your speech is still not right, request that this be remedied whether by a simple adjustment or having the front teeth repositioned. There a few ways this can be done, discuss all the options with your practitioner. Thank you,
All my friends notice I have new denture, why ?
This is a very, very common situation, Chances are the dentures you had previously were many years old, and for several reasons needed to be replaced, or you may have had other dental issues needing treatment resulting in you needing new dentures or new partials. Either way, appearances are important and your concern is real and valid. If your dentures were very old they may not have provided you with the support needed for your lips, cheeks and other areas normally supported by dentures. Then, when you received your new dentures, your practitioner added this support on your dentures, making them thicker and/or larger in areas. This new support may be needed, but it can always be reduced somewhat to make you more comfortable. Many people, such as your family and friends will immediately notice if they see something different in you when you have new dentures. Many times if asked, they will say will say you don't look like they always remembered you do, but look better. The new and improved you. Having said that, sometimes the new changes can be too extreme resulting in an appearance that both you and your friends, family do not like. You need to talk with your practitioner about this. An easy way to avoid this situation is to not just show you but have you wear your new dentures while they are still being made so you and family can see what you will eventually look like with them, and if there are still adjustment to be made later, they generally are not big ones, and the displeasure you will feel can be greatly reduced. As I said earlier, appearances are important to all of us, and as a patient you deserve to be treated with respect and when you leave your with your new dentures, you should feel confident that your look is suited to you in a positive way. all my best,
The sides of my tongue hurt with my new dentures, why ?
This is a very common situation with new dentures, and some older dentures too. Sometimes, when new dentures are made, if your tongue is wide, the sides of it will fall on top of the back molar teeth and you are biting the sides of your tongue, even when your not eating food. It is a constant rubbing of the tongue on the inner cusps of the teeth. The molars may be positioned to close to your tongue, they may also be positioned to low, allowing the tongue to fall on top of them, or they be simply to sharp. No matter what this cause is it can be remedied by your practitioner at your request. Do not let this irritation persist, because your tongue will become increasingly irritated and cause other problems, so get it attended to. Many times, when the dentures are made, certain areas that are shaped to allow proper movements of your tongue need to be attended to and adjusted more after you have received your new dentures. As you wear your new teeth, they become compacted ( mostly the lower denture ) onto your gums, meaning that if there is an area that isn't properly relieved for this compaction, it will result in irritation, or even an abrasion. Again, very simply remedied by your practitioner at your request, don't let it go on if you notice this. Once you receive new complete denture and/or partials, not always, but often they need to be altered or adjusted to allow for the soft tissues and muscles in your mouth to move freely and not cause you discomfort. As a patient you need to communicate with your practitioner any problems you are having so they can be remedied as quickly as possible. I hope this answer helps, take care,
Should I take my denture out at night, or when I go to sleep ?
Similar to the soaking your dentures at night question. There are several schools of practice on taking your dentures out when you go to sleep or at night. If you ask 3 people you'll get 4 different answers to this question. There are many reasons for taking your dentures out at night, many times it is to give your mouth "a break", removing all the stresses on your gums and pressures on other remaining natural teeth. If you've received new dentures, you may find removing them at night gives you the relief needed to get used to them easier. One of the older schools of practice is once you get your dentures you leave them in all the time, including when you sleep. As there are exceptions to every rule, keeping your dentures in 24/7 has no real benefit, and can cause several ill effects. You don't sleep with your new shoes on. Keeping your dentures very clean and respecting your mouth, your jaws and respecting you as a patient and human being is what your practitioner should be doing, and he or she should tailor a treatment plan specifically for you as to whether or not you should take your dentures out or not when you sleep. There is no "one" rule to follow, each patient is different and each treatment to follow is different designed only for you. take care,
Should I soak my denture in anything over night ?
There are several schools of thought and practice about soaking your dentures when you are not wearing them such as when your asleep. People have been soaking them in plain water, water with a little bit of bleach or vinegar in it or not putting them in anything at all, just on a paper towel. When your dentures are not being worn, it is a good idea to keep them wet, such as in a small clean container with plain water or even distilled water. As far as soaking them over night, this is done to keep them clean and remove any food debris, calcium and other residues from them when not being worn. The practice to clean them very well as needed with a mild tooth paste or oral cleaner, and then when evening comes you can put them soaking in a solution with one of the better denture cleaning products on the market. Only use a trusted product such as the Renew products mentioned above, or if you already have a favorite already. Either way, you want a product specially made for cleaning dentures, because it will be gentle on the materials they are made of, not be harmful to you, and keep your dentures clean and ready to use the next day. Thank you,
My parents lost most of their natural teeth, does that mean I will too ?
There are many reasons someone looses their natural teeth. In the past it was common to extract a tooth instead of going through all the office visits and expense to save it with fillings and crowning, even a root canal. Finances play a huge part in tooth restoration as it still does today, some people will have work done and pay for it while others will not. Heredity plays a major role also, some people are predisposed to tooth loss, but with advancing technology and proper continuous patient care, more and more people of all ages are keeping their natural teeth longer and even permanently. Many people that have lost their natural teeth have done so by neglecting to having them checked out or attended to when something has gone wrong, so instead of possibly saving a tooth, it "had" to be extracted. So, even though your parents have lost their natural teeth, with continued proper care and attention to when you feel something needs attending to, the chances of you keeping your natural teeth to ripe old age is a good bet. Take care,
Why can’t I eat a meal with my new dentures ?
Not being able to eat properly with new dentures is very common. A lot of it has to do with the overall change of size of the new dentures and the teeth used in making them. It's similar to receiving a new pair of shoes and going for a walk or dancing. They may fit well and be right for you, but you and your mouth have to get used to them This only comes with time, and it varies from patient to patient. After awhile if you still can't eat properly, the dentures have to be examined, it could be that they are not right for you, they may be either to high or to low, the angle of the chewing surfaces (cusps) of the teeth may be to shallow or to high. We as humans need sharp angled cusped teeth to be able to chew properly, not flat ones where chewing becomes a chore and uncomfortable, especially as we get older. This is a very good question, and you should give your new teeth a proper amount of time to get used to, but if it doesn't improve then the dentures need to be examined and altered to correct the source of the problem. This could mean to rebase or redo them to make them fit better , and/or reshape or change the actual teeth , allowing you to eat comfortably and in good time. Thank you,
I still like my old dentures, but should I reline them and when ?
Hello, A lot of it depends on how old your dentures are, and how well they are fitting. Having a set of dentures that you love to wear and like the appearance of, I understand you wanting to hang on to them and you should, they are part of you. If you find them a bit loose, or not holding as well as they used to or you think they should be, a reline be the correct answer, but if the dentures are very old then a reline may be a complete waste of money, and the only correct remedy to fit them with a more extensive rebase (see previous question), or have new dentures made. If new dentures are required, you have every right to request the new ones to be made to look like your old ones. Although, sometimes it isn't possible to do this because of changes in your mouth to make them look exactly, but most of the time they can be, or made to look better. As much as you have heard about relining, it may not be the correct answer for you. Seek good advice.
What is the difference between a reline and a rebase ?
This is one of the most misunderstood things regarding dentures, mostly because it's not properly discussed, A reline is generally done when you have lost weight, or the dentures just need to be fitted more closely. It can be completed while you wait or on a secondary visit, depending on the complexity of your case and the practitioner's time. The inside of the denture is slightly removed/reduced and new acrylic material added, then inserted back into your mouth for a proper current impression. If you have lost a significant amount of weight, or are certain medications that negatively affect reline materials, or the denture is either very old and ill fitting or were not fitted well in the beginning, then a rebase is done. This involves removing the base between you and the chewing teeth and remaking that part to fit you now, with properly extended borders all around the denture , as well as inside where a reline would have been done. So, the reline is easier, less time consuming, less expensive, and usually done only once or twice in the life of your dentures, while the rebase is more complex, takes more time, is more expensive, and may help you better than a reline ever would have done. Again, only after being examined by a properly and experienced practitioner would the correct choice be made for your benefit, sometimes dentures are relines to get you through a period of time until you receive a rebase or new dentures. A reline is NOT a permanent remedy for poorly made teeth. Thank you, a VERY good question indeed,
Can I wear a night guard if I wear dentures ?
A Great question, Some patients need the extra opening of their lower jaw to lessen strain in the TMJ joint during sleeping hours , or to open the lower jaw to aid in sleep- apnea. So wearing a night guard can be very beneficial , and you can easily have one made and fitted if you have some natural teeth remaining and wearing your partial, but if you have complete dentures, this may be not as easy because of the dentures possibly becoming dislodged during sleep. Sometimes the initial cause for the need of a night guard may be the reduced vertical height of the dentures, having to make up the lack of proper height with a night guard. First make sure your dentures and/or partials are of the correct height for you. If they are , you may not need a night guard at all. This also is an excellent and more frequently asked question that only after being examined by a properly trained practitioner who can diagnosis the correct height of your teeth , both natural and denture within your jaws, and should the dentures be replaced to a more correct vertical height or then a night guard be made and properly instructed in it's wearing of. Thank you,
Can the color of my dentures (teeth) be lightened, because I smoke ?
Unfortunately, the nature of denture teeth makes the neither permanently discolor or to be lightened. Porcelain teeth are similar to the dish in your china cabinet. While acrylic teeth also are made of a particular color of solid or layered acrylic. It may have a surface stain or discoloration, but the overall color can't be made any lighter than it was originally made to be. The best and easiest way to have whiter teeth is to when they are being made to suggest or request to the practitioner that you would like a lighter shade. It is simple to do at that time to your complete satisfaction. Thank you
Can you help me with my infected gums and jaw bones?
Hello Marianne, Thank you very much for your inquiry. Your situation and condition certainly needs attending to , and I can understand your frustration from past experiences and wanting to have it remedied. Unfortunately, from what you have described, your situation is beyond the scope of practice of a Denturist, which can certainly fabricate and insert what ever appliance is needed and necessary for you to wear, but having said that, you should have your case looked at and treated without delay. Not knowing where you live, who you have been to for consultation and what treatment plans have been prescribed to you, it is unfair to speculate as to where you can go to next or who to see. I applaud your willingness to do your own research into your situation, although your just being currently aware of LANAP doesn't mean it would have been the proper treatment for you. Having IBD, as well as some other other conditions you mentioned can complicate matters, but you still need to be respectively treated and in the end provided with a proper prosthetic appliance. Not knowing what if any teeth are remaining, this could be a wide variety of dental appliances. There is nothing wrong with you doing online research, gaining insight and seeking treatments for yourself, then consulting with your doctor and hopefully a knowledgeable and experienced dental professional, who together will work out a proper treatment plan to get you back on the road to a healthy lifestyle. Just remember, many online treatments may not be right for you and are to be discussed with your doctor to see if they could be. I would certainly consult with your medical doctor and depending on where you live to arrange to consult with someone who can an dis willing to help you. Marianne, I certainly can understand and relate to your frustration , but you are not alone, and there are others with similar conditions as you know, and the person treating you must be made aware of your complete medical and dental history, so he can take a wholistic approach to helping you, because not having the proper dental appliance made for you and been able to wear it will result in other situations arising and complicating the whole matter, so please do not give up, and with your doctor on your side and a very knowledgeable and experienced dental practitioners, possibly from several different branches who will all work together as a team to helping you. I would like to keep in touch with you, please let me know how you are progressing and if I can offer any further help, let me know. very best regards,
Do you know any about implants?
Hello, From your question, I understand that you have a complete upper denture without implants, and a complete lower denture with implants, and being a current smoker you are asking if smoking will affect the success of your implants. Not to many years ago, many oral surgeons would not proceed with implants until the patient quite smoking, things have changed a bit since then, and as implants have become more common, they are installed more often, You may want to read this recent excerpt from the US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. It may give you some insight into your question; The effect of cigarette smoking on dental implants and related surgery. 1, . t1Department of Oral Rehabilitation, The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Abstract Cigarette smoking is still considered a common habit. Of smokers, increased plaque accumulation, higher incidence of gingivitis and periodontitis, higher rate of tooth loss, and increased resorption of the alveolar ridge have been found in the oral cavity. Cigarette smoking may adversely affect wound healing, and, thus, jeopardize the success of bone grafting and dental implantation. Bone grafts and sinus lift operations are both common and well-documented procedures before dental implant placement. Heat as well as toxic by-products of cigarette smoking, such as nicotine, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide, have been implicated as risk factors for impaired healing, and, thus, may affect the success and complications of those surgical procedures. An association among dental implants, grafting procedures (i.e., bone grafts, maxillary sinuses augmentation), and history of smoking has been reported. A higher degree of complication, or implant failure rates, were found in smokers with and without bone grafts. The relationship between cigarette smoking and implant-related surgical procedures, including the incidence of complications associated with these procedures, will be described and discussed based on relevant literature and results of our recent studies. I hope this helps answer your question, very best regards,
I have been to see a few denturists to get new teeth, and they all had different prices, why? Who do I go to ?
Hello, A very common question, which gets asked a lot. In most provinces in Canada, all Denturists are issued once a year a Provincial Minimum Suggested Fee Schedule or Guide, which contains all procedures they provide and what is the minimum amount or cost to the patient. which means that for any given procedure, whether it's a new denture, an examination, repair or reline, etc. This also means, because it's a Minimum Suggested Fee Guide, the costs start at the amount listed in the guide and either remain there or go up from there, which is probably why you've received a variety of prices from several practitioners for the same service requested. As I used to advise patients who phoned in when I was on a local radio program "Ask the Experts", you are not just primarily a patient, but also a consumer in the market of dental services. If you are not comfortable or confident going for a consultation or examination by yourself bring along someone whom you trust and has your best interest at hand. Like any other business, your business is wanted as you enter the office, so whether you go alone or with someone you trust, know what you want and ask questions. I can not stress this enough, ask questions, find out what that practitioner is going to provide for you, what is he or she charging you, the grand total, why are they charging that amount quoted to you, and if it's either lower or higher that another quote you received, ask why ! Especially in Canada, where we are all issued a Provincial Fee Guide, depending in which province you live in, all the fees in that province start at the same amount, so the Denturist can't simply pick a cost out of the air for you. If the fee quoted you is quite high, again ask why, and discuss with the practitioner why the higher price, and is it justified for you. If you are getting more than one quote, or even so, go home and think about it, discuss it with people who's opinions you trust and make a sound decision, not a hurried one. There is nothing wrong , after you had your initial consultation to ask to think about it and return for another consultation and to ask more question, or if you are comfortable with that particular practitioner to start the treatment at that time. An informed and educated patient will make a better decision. Like I mentioned before, and I stress this with the senior patients, you should be treated with fairness and respect and not be taken advantage of with over inflated prices and/or poor quality dental services and products. As to the second part of your question, where do you go. Only you as an informed and educated patient can make that choice. After visiting and talking with the actual practitioner will you get a better feeling and comfort level as to whom you want to go back too. After weighing all that has been said to you and presented to you upon your initial visit, and possibly discussing it with that person you trust, will you make an informed choice. Do not be swayed by impressive offices, high tech shows or fancy words, in the end it is between you and the practitioner and what he or she will provide for you at a fair price. I hope this helps answer your question, all the best,
Why was I charged more for lighter coloured teeth ?
Good morning, A very interesting question. From your question, I understand you received new complete dentures and were charged for a lighter shade of tooth. If you received a partial denture and an existing natural tooth needed to be filled or crowned, then the cost of that particular tooth would be different and possibly higher, but if you were charged simply for a lighter shade of teeth in new complete denture, that's a different matter. In the dental industry, there are many manufactured brands of false denture teeth, and within those manufactures, there are many, many sub brands of teeth. In those sub brands, there are several, usually all of different names, of denture teeth. Also, aside from different shades or color values of teeth there are several different density selections and shapes or molds. All this means to you is that, after properly diagnosing exactly what type of denture you needed, the practitioner has a large range of choices as to which teeth to use, what shape they should/could be and what color they should/could be. All of this should be discussed with you either in some part before you start the procedure, but definitely during the procedure, well before the dentures are finished. Having said all that, when you were quoted the cost before you began, the practitioner should stick to it, unless something unexpected came up or he or she has a very good reason to alter the initial cost quoted to you, but, no matter what manufacture , brand and sub brand was chosen for you, the color or shade selection within that selection would be the same for what ever color was chosen. For example, If manufacture A was chosen, then brand B was chosen, and sub brand C, all the colors available to the practitioner in sub brand C, which could be anywhere from about 10 to 40, would be the same cost to for the practitioner to purchase to make your denture and the same cost to you. So, If you are certain that you were charged for simply a lighter color/shade, I would definitely ask your practitioner why this was done, and exactly for what were you charger extra for. There could have been simply an account mistake made,, but regardless you need to know what you were charged for, and if a mistake was make, allow the practitioner to remedy the mistake. You as a patient must be treated with respect and fairness, and not be taken advantage of. I hope this helps answer your question, please write in again with any other concerns. Thank you,
Implant surgery complications
Hello, Thank you for this question. Any uncommon symptoms or possible complications following any dental surgery such as implants is of concern, and I would suggest seeing the surgeon that performed your procedure or even a secondary dental practitioner to confirm what is causing your sneezing. Without knowing the exact locations and specific procedure of implants you received, it is impossible to determine the exact cause of your symptoms, some causes may be an allergy to latex used, or possibly depending on again location of the implants, a sinus communication/perforation matter if implants were placed in that region. In the mean time, regarding sneezing, you have to be very careful when sneezing, not to put pressure on the sinus, and other surgical sites as healing of these locations can be slow and must be treated accordingly. Either way you need to have it attended to promptly by an experienced dental surgical practitioner, such as the person that treated you or if you want, another practitioner to confirm the opinion. I hope this helps, Thank you
How to know what is normal vs needs adjustment
Thank you for your question, This is a very common problem with both partial and complete lower dentures, and also easily remedied.There are many variations as to what your new lower partial denture could look like, but generally the left and right sides are connected in the middle by a connective band of either metal or plastic, which passes in front of the tongue and behind the lower front teeth.When you raise or move your tongue, there is a connective tissue called a lingual frenum below your tongue which must be relieved in the denture, which ever kind, to allow it to move freely. The area in the denture or partial is called the lingual notch. See your dental practitioner, and ask him or her to check this notch to see if it has been opened or shaped properly to allow the lingual frenum to extend and move properly, as well to make sure the entire lingual section of your new partial is not to long or deep in this region, which may cause irritation and discomfort.This should fix your problem, as the discomfort your are experiencing is common with new dentures and partials it should be remedied as soon as possible, because it should not be there.Thank you
New partial
This is a very good question, Thank you. If not much has changed in the proper fit, proper occlusion and satisfactory appearance of your current partial upper denture, generally speaking a new one can probably be made. A lot depends if your current partial upper denture has a metal framework or not, and is all acrylic. This will decide many things. The practitioner that you see must be made fully aware of your medical and dental history to be able to properly make a treatment plan to offer you the best options for a successful new partial upper denture and offering you the least in discomfort through out the entire fabrication process of the new partial as well as the wearing of it after it is completed and inserted to your mouth. I hope this helps, please do let me know how it all works out,
Immediate and Partial Denture
Thank you for your question. The answer to your concern is similar to the previous question, “Immediate Denture after teeth pulled”. I suggest you read my reply to this previous question as there are several similarities to your concerns. Although, specific you, it sounds like your posterior teeth in your complete upper denture and, or partial lower denture were placed too high, exerting unnecessary pressure on your healing sort tissues and underlying bone structures. Both the upper and lower denture sound like they are not seated well and are lifting and shifting, causing the cuts and soreness, as well as the extra length and possibly ‘off the ridge’ placement of your posterior teeth causing cheek biting, meaning the posterior teeth are placed too far off from where they originally grew from. I also strongly recommend you returning to your dental practitioner who made these dentures and discuss with him or her, you concern, as they will not resolve themselves without either major alterations, if this is even possible, or simply to have the dentures remade. Immediate denture, if made and inserted correctly can be a wonderful experience and make the patient feel like they never had their teeth extracted, but if done incorrectly, it can be a very trying experience till things are corrected. I wish you well, Take care
Immediate Denture after teeth pulled
Thank you for your question and real concern. The whole point of Immediate dentures is to place the teeth in your mouth very quickly after surgery, usually by the surgeon him or herself, which means, before you have any teeth extracted your new dentures are “pre” made in a dental lab or Denturist’s office. So the dentures are ready to be inserted. After taking all your impressions and Occlusion records, while you have your natural teeth, the Immediate dentures are made as close as possible to your natural teeth and those teeth in relation to your jaws, both in relation to the bone supports and the height of those teeth in relation to the bone and soft tissue supports. Having said that, it sounds from your question, this was not done. Your upper anterior teeth were placed to far forward and also too low, resulting them resting on your lower lip, and the posterior teeth probably also placed to low, which means your upper denture is too long in vertical height. If this is so, there would be tremendous pressure and force placed on your upper ridges and especially on your lower tissues and gums, and considering these are Immediate Dentures, the excessive pressures on your still unhealed gums would be extreme and unnecessary. I strongly recommend you return to your dental practitioner who ‘made’ the dentures and discuss this all with him or her. The dentures will probably have to be remade as from your question, the placement of the anterior and posterior teeth are in the wrong places, and no amount of post insertion adjustments can completely correct this. Your current dentures could be altered to possibly make them more comfortable, so you can wear them while the new ones are being made, so you won’t ever have to be without teeth. I wish you well, Take care,
Sunken Ridge and Face Issues
Thank you for your question, and your concern. From what you stated , it seems your new complete upper immediate denture may have been to think at the front surface, just under your nose, then it sloped inward, then the artificial teeth angled outwards, all resulting in you acquiring a different post- surgical appearance. It is highly possible that during the removal of your remaining natural teeth,you lost some bone mass, which is common. All remove bone mass, tissue mass, and tooth shapes and structure can and should be replaced back in the form of a complete denture for you. I strongly recommend you return to the dental practitioner that inserted your immediate denture and indicate these matter, which all can be remedied either by altering the shape of your existing denture or the complete remake of your denture. Your dental practitioner should be able to help you with this, as, you do not have to look that different after the removal of your natural teeth and of yoru immediate upper denture. The areas above where you mentioned sunken ridge, this has to be built up in the denture, basically, whatever mass was removed surgically or atrophied naturally, has to be replaced in the denture to keep and retain the support of your soft tissue areas, This can all be accomplished with a correctly made and maintained complete upper denture. You have options, and from what you indicated, after discussing these concerns with your dental practitioner, you should be alright for years to come. Take care,
cleaning-soft-denture-liners
Hello, Thank you for your question, The Renew Denture Cleaner does a very good job of cleaning regular hard liners such as you have on your upper denture. There are several different types of soft lining materials used, and most of them stain quite easily and are difficult to keep clean without the possibility of damaging them. I have had good success over the years advising patients to very gently brush their soft lined dentures with a soft brush or soft tooth brush and a mildly abrasive tooth paste, and not to use a bristle brush or denture creams, so to remove as much of the surface stain as possible, then to soak the denture with the soft liner in Renew for about 20 minutes, then rinse the denture very well under running water, and then repeat the brushing and 20 minute Renew soaking until the soft liner is clean. Afterwards, you must clean the soft liner daily, using mostly the soft brush and tooth paste washing and if needed soaking in the denture cleaner. You are correct, soft liners are expensive, and need to be treated differently than regular hard liners, and the above cleaning procedure should give you years of use from it. Thank you, best regards
Jaw Grinding
Hello, This is a very good question for several reasons, but at the same time difficult to answer because of not knowing exactly your mother’s condition and not having seeing her jaw bone structure or if it’s the upper or lower jaw. One of the most common reasons to see an Oral Surgeon and have jaw reduction work done is that at the posterior or back of the upper ridge protruding outwards towards the cheeks, and at the posterior or back of the lower jaw protruding inwards towards the tongue, there are bony protrusions that can cause discomfort when the complete dentures slide over them to sit properly in place. After extractions, these boney protrusions can be extreme and can take months or a few years to reduce enough in size and sensitivity to be able to wear dentures comfortably. I do not know why your mother’s dentist didn’t explain this to her prior to her extractions. If this is the condition that your mother has, I suggest her consulting with an Oral Surgeon to help remedy the matter as soon as possible, and then to have proper dentures made for her. I hope this helps, Best regards,
Immediate denture issues
Hello, One of the advantages to having Immediate dentures made instead of other forms of dentures is that if made correctly, Immediate dentures exactly replace in plastic what has been removed by the extraction procedure of your remaining teeth. The exact length, width and height of both of your jaws where the denture will sit, as well as the size of your natural teeth are recorded and transferred to your Immediate dentures during the process of making them before you receive them. Sometimes you can correct or improve the cosmetics if desired, but the point is that when you have your Immediate dentures inserted right after your remaining teeth are extracted, they should be as close as possible to all your upper and lower jaw relations and tooth placements are as they were naturally. Unfortunately, this Is not what happens in many cases, such as yours, and relines are not always the answer, as relines do not correct any of the qualities I mentioned above, and repeated relines can actually make the Immediate denture more ill-fitting. Now, that your extractions are completed and you already have your Immediate dentures, at this point in time, your bone structures and tissues are still healing, but a new set of denture can be started and made, although they are not Immediate dentures any more. I hope this helps, Best regards,
Loose Dentures
Hello, Thank you for your question, as it is a very common concern, unfortunately. First, the wax ‘try-in’ stage of the denture making process gives you an unfinished version of your final denture’s look and fit, but it should be as close as possible to the finished version, but there is a good chance that what you tried on during this stage will be what your final dentures will be like. The wax version is rarely as well fitting as the final plastic version, yet it should in most cases fit well, or if not, it should be worked on until it is as well fitting as possible in your case. In too many cases the lingual (inside) and the buccal (outside) flanges or borders of the lower denture are initially made or later trimmed too short and too thin as to offer proper stability and fit, as I think may be in your case. Far too many lower dentures are used in conjunction with denture adhesives, which if made properly wouldn’t require the addition of a denture adhesive. I suggest you have a consultation with your dental practitioner before your dentures are finished to make sure all that was possible to make your denture fit properly was done, as it is a lot more work and time without your denture after it is finished to correct the above mentioned inadequacies. I hope this helps, Thank you
sore-gums
Hello Gordon, Your question is a very good one, as well as common, unfortunately, you haven't provided much details for me to give you sufficient advice. But, having said that, it is generally healthier to remove the new dentures at night when you sleep. It is common to experience discomfort with your new dentures, but it depends where the discomfort is and why it's there. If the dentures are made correctly, the discomfort can be relieved and will soon subside in time, if the dentures are not made properly, much of the discomfort will continue and not go away. Please provide me with more detail, as to what teeth were extracted, when, and what kind of dentures you received, as much information as possible. In the mean time, I suggest you returning to the dental practitioner who provided you with your new dentures to check everything over, and to make sure they fit properly and you are on the right track to being able to wear your new denture, take care,
Clinching / grimdimg
Hello Mary, Thank you for your question and your concern. It is actually quite a common occurrence, I am assuming from your question, that the remaining lower teeth you have are your anterior or front teeth. When you are sleeping, you probably are not wearing your complete upper and partial lower dentures, and when we sleep, the muscles involved in the movement of our lower jaw move it up into it's natural closed position as when we eat and chew our food, so your lower front teeth move up and rest or even bite into the front par of your upper jaw. This is a natural movement, but an uncomfortable one in situations such as yours. As much as I disagree with patients wearing their denture while they sleep, as it is very important and healthy to remove your denture when you go to sleep, in your case keeping them in while you sleep to keep your jaws apart may work, but you should remove them at some time during the day for several hours to relieve pressures on your gums, and to give your mouth the healing time it needs. Also. There should be enough 'Free way space' between the front of your lower natural teeth and the back of your upper denture teeth, so when you sleep with your dentures in, there won't be excessive pressure on your upper ridge and gums, as well as excessive pressure on the anterior part of your lower natural teeth. Your question is a perfect example of how pressure and where it is applied in the mouth can be the difference between a comfortable set of dentures and a good night sleep or constant discomfort. I suggest you discuss this with your dental practitioner where you received your dentures from, or a dentist that has experience in the correct placement and maintenance of dentures. Please let me know if this work, Thank you,
biting-inside-lower-lip
Hello, The biting of the top and inside of your lower lip is a good indication that either the vertical level of your lower denture teeth are to low, or set to far back from your lip allowing the lip to fall backward, as well the level of your top denture teeth may be set to low. Can you tell me how old your dentures are and what you have, complete, partials, etc. so I can give you a more specific answer. Thank you
allergy
Hello, Your question is not unusual, but isn't that common either, but it is a serious situation that has to be corrected, and can not be corrected by adjusting the denture, from what you mentioned, you had an allergic reaction to both of your new upper dentures, When the dentures are been made in the dental lab, there are certain specific technical procedures that have to be followed and can not be short cut. One of these is the length of time the acrylic material used to make the final denture is processed to cure the ingredients used. If this allotted time is reduced or the mixture of the two ingredients is wrong, the material does not cure properly, and you are left with this uncured, liquid acrylic inside the denture, which can cause the reactions you mentioned. Aside from that you may be allergic to the acrylic itself, which in that case a non-allergic acrylic has to be used. Either way, you need the denture remade properly, as well as the lower partial made properly. The largest reaction to these reaction chemical issues is on the upper denture , because of it's location and closeness to tissue. I suggest you return to your dental practitioner and discuss this with him or her, and have them remake the denture and have the lab procedures followed closely to make sure either the acrylic material is cured properly and/or a different material is used all together. very best regards,
How do I eliminate the staining from my bottom plate??
Hello, Thank you for your question. A lower denture whether it's a complete or partial denture is usually more prone to staining than an upper denture, because of where it is; in the lower section of the mouth, surrounded constantly by saliva, food debris, etc. So removing the denture on a regular basis and cleaning it on a regular basis is the key to keeping it clean and free from continuous staining. The removed denture can be either brushed with regular tooth paste, soaked in a good quality denture clean such as "Renew Denture Cleaner" or actually both. I have had wonderful success asking patients to remove their dentures, then giving the dentures a good tooth paste brushing, using their favorite flavored tooth paste and a soft tooth brush ( never use a hard tooth brush or those hard bristle denture brushes), then lightly brushing as well their gums and tongue, and then soaking the denture for about twenty (20) minutes in the denture cleaner, after which the dentures are very well washed with clean warm, (never hot) water before inserting back in the mouth or leaving them out for the night's sleep in a shallow container of plain clean water. The lower denture will always be prone to staining, and needs to be removed and cleaned on a very regular basis, other wise it will have a continuous build up of stain and food on it. I hope this helps, Thank you , The
chewing-gum
Hello, Thank you for your question. Many people stop chewing gum soon after they beginning wearing dentures, both complete and partial dentures, and for several and varied reasons. There have been a few brands of chewing gums on the market over the years that worked with dentures, but most of them have been discontinued or been replaced by other brands, which haven't been so successful for denture wearers. There is a brand that is still on the market called, "Freedent", and it comes in several standard chewing gum flavors. I have suggested to many of my patients, that if they had a favorite chewing gum, to try it again after getting new dentures, because, a chewing gum sticking to your dentures or other dental work depends on several factors, and your previous brand may work out just fine for you. If it doesn't work well, then try a brand that is marketed specifically for people with dental work, such as "Freedent". I hope this helps. thank you.
Mouthguard
Thank you for your question, Your question is a good one, yet quit vague. I am guessing the bone loss your describing is due to the loss of most or many of your natural posterior (back) teeth, either on the bottom or also on the top. This will cause your lower jaw to travel up to high, and stop when some upper and lower teeth contact, possibly in the front or near the front, which will result in your lips not being properly supported as once were when you had all or most of your natural teeth. This will certainly cause the “drooling” and the skin of your corners of your mouth creasing and peeling, and being un-normally red in color, along with discomfort in these areas. To remedy this situation, you will need to have your lower jaw opened back up to the position that you had prior to losing the teeth you’ve lost. This can be done with properly fabricated and properly fitted prosthetics to not only replace all your missing teeth, but also to open the vertical jaw relationship, and bring the distance between your upper and lower jaws back to your correct and healthy distance and position, which is different in every person. This may require removable partials, dentures, or more, that are slightly higher than what you may currently have. It may also involve a night guard to wear when you are sleeping without your denture in your mouth; that copies the corrected height of your new dentures or partials. I have very rarely recommended my patients wearing their dentures while sleeping, because many aspects of the mouth require rest and healing without having the pressures of dentures in it. I would highly recommend you discussing your condition with a competent dental practitioner, and avoid any dental practitioner that simply wants to replace your missing teeth without any concern for trying to remedy your reduced vertical jaw relationship. Just replacing the missing teeth may not correct your situation, and will leave you in a similar condition that you are presently in. I hope this helps, Darryl
stains-old-partials
Hello, Thank you for your question, Unless your partials have been permanently stained from lack of cleaning or have been tarnished or damaged, they should and could be cleaned with a combination of a good professional denture cleaner such as "Renew", and if necessary combined with taking them to a dental practitioner who can re-polish them back to their original luster. A daily cleaning is recommended to keep them is good condition. I hope this helps,
leaving dentures in
Hello, A very good question, It is very important to remove your dentures, either while you sleep or at sometime during your waking hours. The pressure on the bone and tissues in your mouth are extreme, and these pressures need to be relieved at sometimes during a twenty four (24) hour period, at least for an eight (8) hour period of time. The mouth was not designed to wear dentures, of any kind, so if yours are the removable types, they should be removed, not only to clean, which is important, but to relieve pressure and stresses in the mouth. This will also help reduce and/or avoid sore areas caused by the dentures. A very good and knowledgeable dental practitioner can advise you how and when to remove your dentures as well as the proper way to keep them clean. Thank you for your question.
young - with Denture
Hello, These are very good and common questions. No, you are not too young, needing dentures is not age specific, and every person's situation is unique. I would strongly recommend you going to visit several dental practitioners to see what each can do for you. My not knowing why you require dentures in your 20's is a concern to me, but "actually visiting" several practitioners in person and not over the phone or online and talking openly with each of them could save you lots of hassles and heartache down the road. You will be wearing dentures for many years, and it can be a good experience if you do your homework before you start. Avoid practitioners that will promise you everything, tell you that you need all the "bells and whistles", or are much over priced. Avoid the fast talkers and high pressure sales tactics, so common today. What you require are well made dentures, by a good practitioner that you trust! When you visit these practitioners, always bring someone along with you, whom you also trust for a second set of eyes and ears. Poorly made dentures can look very false and cause much unnecessary pain and discomfort, both of which can be avoided with eyes wide open,shopping around. If the dentures are made correctly, no one should know you are wearing them, and without pain or discomfort. best of luck,
food and dentures
Hello, Yes, this should be a concern, but not until after you have them, and have worn them for while, about two months. After about two months you will realize if this will be a concern. Since I do not know if you have been wearing denture before, if these are your first dentures and/or partials, but after you have worn them for a little while, and you are getting unrealistic amounts of food between your dentures and your gums, I advise you to return to the dental practitioner who made them. The dentures may need to be remade or altered to remedy this, sometimes certain foods will need to be avoided altogether. Food under dentures is common, but many times can be remedied successfully with a good dental practitioner who is concerned about your situation. I hope this helps.
fix own dentures
Hello, A very good question. When your dentures are causing discomfort, the natural tendency is to adjust them yourself, but this rarely works out for the better, and usually can cause more complicated problems later on. If any adjustments are required, I advise you to return to the dental practitioner who made your dentures. If you are returning too many times, I would suggest you ask the dental practitioner why, and what is wrong with the dentures. Sometimes, too many adjustment will ruin the fit of dentures, resulting in a much needed reline or rebasing. I hope this helps.
scotch mints rumor
Hello, Scotch mints could possibly break a tooth on a denture or partial because of the harness of their coating, and as well the inside filling may stick to your denture teeth. If you are careful, you could have them, but be careful. They do have the tendency to stimulate saliva when wearing dentures, so that is a good point. I hope this helps,
teeth grinder
Hello, I understand your wanting to wear your dentures at night time, but it creates several issues that are difficult to correct, without removing them while you sleep. Your mouth and gum tissues are being negatively affected as well as your dentures. I stress that if, and when you can, to remove your dentures when you sleep. If you want to wear them at night time, you will almost always grind them together. This is common. You could try a specially made night guard that fits onto your dentures, depending if you have partials or complete dentures. I would revisit your dental practitioner and describe your situation, and see if they can recommend a night-guard appliance for you. There are many different versions of them , and one that will work specifically for you should be chosen. I hope this helps.
choosing teeth colour
Hello, The color of your new dentures or new partials are generally chosen by the dental practitioner. If you have any remaining natural teeth or crowns, they will match the color of the new artificial teeth according to these. If you are receiving one complete denture, they will match the color/shade of your opposing side denture. If you are getting a complete set of dentures, both top and bottom, they will choose a tooth shade according to your facial skin tones, as well as to match to the tone of your eyes. The new color chosen has to be one that you are happy with, but also should be a realistic match for you, instead of the popular, but usually unrealistic "white" teeth look. It is impossible to adjust the color of your new teeth after there are made, except for keeping them clean and polished. You can not successfully whiten them, unless you replace them all together. Thank you,
Inside lower lip pain/irritation
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.
Upper partial plate
Hello John, Most dental matters causing problems can be remedied, but only after they are correctly identified. From your question, it sounds like you have an upper partial denture that was recently inserted, and has one artificial tooth in the front area and more artificial teeth in the posterior region. If this is your first partial denture, sometimes it takes a little while for the mouth to adjust or get use to having something foreign in it, but this usually resolves itself over time, and with persistence. If the artificial tooth in front of the partial is not positioned correctly, and there are spaces or gaps between it and the surrounding natural teeth or the tooth is too short; all which can allow saliva to come through. Then this front tooth and it's position would have to be corrected either with a new properly shaped tooth or repositioning the existing one to close up these gaps and to realign it more in line with the surrounding natural teeth. If the partial is an acrylic type, it may be too thick in certain areas and will need to be reduced or thinned in accordance with the natural contours of your palette.. Your question addresses a common dental issue, and usually can be remedied, as long as the issue causing the problem is correctly identified and addressed. I hope this helps. Best regards.
Where can I find renew in Winnipeg ?
Hello Simone, Most Denturist Clinics in Winnipeg carry 'Renew Denture Cleaner'. You can phone any of them or the closest one to you and ask if they carry it. If no one near you has it, go to the contact link at the top of this page to ask for the nearest clinic near you. It is still one of the best denture cleaners ever made. I hope this helps. Thanks.