What You Should Know About Your New Dentures

How often should I replace my dentures?

The answer to this question depends on a number of factors. Generally, the fit, function and appearance of your dentures are at their best during the first 2 to 3 years. After 2 to 3 years, your dentures can start to feel loose. This is due to resorption (shrinking of your jaw bone and gums associated with tooth loss over time). Denture relines every 2 to 3 years can help to restore the fit of your dentures, thus extending their longevity. Confident Smiles Implant Denture Solutions advises our patients to replace their denture(s) every 5 to 8 years. Even with regular relines, which can help improve the fit, the denture teeth will still wear down over time. When the teeth on your denture(s) begin to wear down, this will affect and change the way you chew and digest your food. Worn teeth can also alter your bite. The bite is very important. If your bite changes due to worn down denture teeth, you could develop problems with your TMJ (temporomandibular joint) resulting in sore jaw muscles and headaches. Worn teeth can also place uneven stress on your denture, thus increasing the potential for your denture(s) to break.

In general, it is recommended you reline your denture every 2 to 3 years and replace your dentures every 5 to 8 years. Confident Smiles Implant Denture Solutions recommends you make an annual appointment to have your denture(s) assessed; this will help you to stay informed on the current condition of your denture(s).

To book an appointment for your complimentary consultation and denture assessment, call 905-453-3393.

Why does my lower denture always feel loose compared to my upper denture?

The lower denture, in most cases, will never be as “tight”-fitting as the upper denture. There are a few reasons for this:

The palate, or roof of the mouth, is shaped in such a way that the upper denture creates a suction, or seal. This suction is what causes the upper denture to stay up on the roof of the mouth.

The lower jaw is not an ideal area to support a denture because there is no suction or seal to keep the denture in place.

In the lower jaw area, almost everything moves (excluding the bone), i.e. the jaw joint itself, the floor of the mouth and the tongue. The tongue is a very strong muscle and must share the space with the lower denture. The tongue is attached to the floor of the mouth which moves when your tongue moves. The tongue and the floor of the mouth can both work together against your lower denture causing it to lift and move around. This can result in embarrassing moments like food getting caught underneath the denture, and sore spots from the denture rubbing on the gums. In actual fact, what keeps a lower denture in place are the muscles in the face, cheeks, lips and tongue. These muscles do not develop overnight, and for people who are new to wearing dentures or for people who have worn the same dentures for a number of years, adjusting to a new lower denture can prove to be extremely frustrating and challenging. The truth is that dentures, both lower and upper, only get more difficult to wear as time goes on, regardless of whether the dentures are old or made new. This is because the inside of your mouth is always changing and getting smaller over time. As the bone under the gums shrinks (resorption), your dentures, especially the lower, will become more difficult to wear. In the past, dentures were the only option to replacing lost teeth. Today there are many different solutions available. If you are interested in learning about your individual removable and permanent options for replacing your denture(s), please call

905-453-3393

to book your complimentary consultation.

Why are my new dentures not fitting comfortably like my old dentures?

For people who have worn dentures in the past, adjusting to new dentures can be quite difficult at first. This happens when the muscles in the face have become accustomed to the old dentures. With new dentures, the facial muscles must adapt all over again. The length of time it takes to adapt to new dentures varies from person to person and depends on how long the old set was worn. Many people are not aware that the inside of their mouth is always changing once teeth are lost. When natural teeth are lost or removed, the root of the tooth is not there anymore to act as an anchor holding the bone in place.

Therefore, in the areas where teeth are missing, the bone and gums recede or shrink back, and this is called resorption. Resorption occurs slowly over time after the teeth have been removed and the gums have healed. You will not notice a change in your mouth from day-to-day, but you may notice after 1 to 3 years of wearing your new dentures that they begin to feel loose, or they may start to rub on your gums causing sore spots. This is because the inside of your mouth is slowly getting smaller; therefore, in order to keep your current facial appearance, denture(s) slowly get larger to maintain the shape of your face. For example, when there are no teeth and no dentures in the mouth, the lips and face slump. When you put your dentures in your mouth, your appearance is restored, filling out your lips and face.

One of the largest misconceptions denture wearers fall prey to is thinking if they’ve had no problems with past dentures, they will never have problems with any future dentures. Past experiences, and the experiences of others (“my mother/sister/uncle/friend, etc. never had this much trouble…”), are not accurate indications of any future struggles as far as dentures are concerned. You must be aware of the limitations within your mouth.

Dentures are not ideal solutions for tooth loss; rather, for many people they are merely a different set of problems. New dentures, regardless if you’ve worn dentures for decades or are new to the world of dentures, will always pose challenges and require that you prepare yourself for an adjustment phase. Like any prosthetic body part, dentures take time, patience and perseverance in order to prevail, and will never feel quite like natural, healthy teeth. At Confident Smiles Implant Denture Solutions, we guide you through the adjustment phase and do our very best to help you cope with your new dentures.

If you’d like to learn more about the different options available for replacing your dentures, please call 905-453-3393 to book your complimentary consultation.

How should I clean my dentures?

Daily cleaning of your dentures is necessary to prevent plaque and calculi (tartar) buildup, food stains, bad breath odours, mouth infections and redness or irritation to your gums.

Many denture wearers report that despite brushing and soaking their dentures in cleansers regularly (i.e. Polident), buildup and discoloration still occurs. Certain foods will stain your denture teeth, such as coffee, tea, red wine, tomato sauces and curries. Your saliva also plays a role in denture build-up. There are many different medications that will affect the consistency of your saliva. Medications that make your mouth dry and your saliva thick and ropey can contribute to buildup sticking to your denture.

Daily cleaning for your dentures should include:

Removing your dentures and rinsing with water, as well as brushing after meals, helps to remove plaque and some food stains.

Use a denture brush or a soft toothbrush with water, soap (liquid hand soap), or a denture paste when cleaning your dentures. Use a separate soft toothbrush and toothpaste for cleaning any natural teeth remaining; and don’t forget to gently brush your tongue and gum surfaces daily.

Do not use toothpaste on your dentures unless it states safe to use on dentures. Toothpaste contains abrasives that can scratch your dentures, making it easier for the buildup to collect and adhere to the scratched denture surface.

Choose a denture cleanser that suits you and your schedule. Some cleansers require an overnight soak, some require a 5 to 20 minute soak, and some are not good to use for soft liners or cast metal partial dentures. It is important to read the instructions before you purchase a denture cleanser to ensure you are getting the best one for you. Denture cleansers should be used every other day, in combination with brushing and rinsing every day. You can purchase denture cleansers (i.e. Polident or Efferdent) over the counter at your local drug store or at the Confident Smiles Implant Denture Solutions office. We carry a variety of cleansers (i.e. Dentanet or NuDent).

Denture Care Tips:

When brushing your denture, hold it in the middle, and never squeeze the ends together, this can cause the denture to break.

When cleaning your denture, place a towel in the sink, or fill the sink halfway with water, so just in case you drop your denture it will not break against the hard porcelain surface.

Do not brush or soak dentures with scouring brushes or powders, abrasive cleaners, bleach or hot water. Hot water can warp or distort the shape of your dentures. Bleach, mouthwash (i.e. Listerine or Scope) and other chemicals can discolour and damage your dentures. Use cold or lukewarm water when cleaning or soaking dentures.

Take your dentures out overnight and soak them in either plain water after cleaning, or soak overnight using an approved denture cleanser. This will give your gums a chance to “breath”, and can help to reduce the chance of infection and irritation in the mouth. If you find you’ve grown accustomed to sleeping with your dentures in, try leaving them out for a few hours during the day if you can.

When you are not wearing your dentures, store them in water to keep them moist, otherwise, the fit and quality of the material can become compromised.

Stubborn food stains and plaque/tartar buildup will require your dentures to be cleaned professionally. At Confident Smiles Implant Denture Solutions, our on-site laboratory is outfitted with the proper tools and equipment to clean and polish your dentures. We recommend our patients book time to have their dentures cleaned and polished during their annual re-care appointment. Having your dentures cleaned by your denturist once a year will help you to maintain your bright and confident smile.

If you would like to book an appointment to have your dentures cleaned and polished while you wait in our private waiting room, please call 905-453-3393.

How long will it take to make my new dentures?

It generally takes 4 to 6 weeks to make new dentures, or one custom fitting per week. However, we can usually accommodate emergency rush cases in less time, if necessary. Your smile is very important to us, and Confident Smiles Implant Denture Solutions only does quality, custom work to meet each individual patient’s needs.
Your appointments generally go as follows:

Impressions
Moulds of your mouth will be taken. This is the foundation for creating your new smile.

Bite
This appointment enables us to establish your jaw relationship, and gives us a guide for where your teeth should be. We will also choose a tooth shade/colour and discuss any suggestions or requests you may have regarding your desired appearance.

Try in or “Preview”
You will try in your new teeth during this appointment. At this stage, the teeth will still be in wax and we will be able to make any adjustments or changes before finishing the final product, if need be. We will also check your bite. Once you approve the appearance, we will proceed to the “finish” appointment. If any changes need to be made, you will be booked to come back for a retry appointment. We will not finish your dentures until you have approved the appearance.

Finish
You will wear your new dentures home! At this appointment, we will fit you with your new teeth and you will be given a post-care package complete with cleaning, maintenance and post-care instructions.

Post-Insertion Check
We like to see you back one week later to check how you’re managing with your new teeth. Quite often new dentures will need some adjusting and it is not uncommon to have a few sore spots or tenderness. It is very important that you come back for this appointment so that we can ensure your comfort and wellbeing.

Depending on your chosen treatment, you may require fewer or more appointments. Once you’ve decided on your treatment, your denturist will inform you of the number of appointments you will require. Appointments generally take anywhere from 10 minutes to one hour depending on the procedure. Confident Smiles Implant Denture Solutions will notify you when you are due for your annual rec-are and/or reline appointments.

What is the difference between complete and partial dentures?

Complete dentures are for people who have lost all of their natural teeth or have lost all of their natural teeth in one arch/jaw.

Partial dentures are for people who are missing one or more teeth, and only need to replace the teeth that have been lost.

What is the difference between a standard and precision denture?

Denture materials can vary in quality and selection. Denture teeth come in a wide variety of shapes, moulds, shades and varying degrees of hardness. A standard denture is a basic conventional denture made using standard materials with limited basic tooth shapes (moulds) and shades (colours); standard denture teeth tend to wear down at a faster rate and need to be replaced more often than precision denture teeth.

Precision or premium dentures are made using high-quality materials, in combination with additional techniques and procedures that are not included with standard dentures. Precision teeth offer an extensive range of shapes and shades designed and created to appear more like natural teeth. At Confident Smiles Implant Denture Solutions, we offer our patients BPS® (Biofunctional Prosthetic System) premium dentures. This Biofunctional Prosthetic System, or BPS®, uses specific techniques, procedures and high-quality materials to create natural, lifelike premium quality dentures that provide our patients with optimal fit, function and appearance.

The benefits of BPS® Precision Dentures are:

Comfort: reduced irritation to the gums
Strength: extremely dense material, reduces incidence of breakage
Cleanliness: non-porous surface greatly lessens odour-causing plaque and bacteria
Fit: non-irritating and comfortable to wear; no denture adhesive required
Health: more accurate fit allows you to eat virtually any foods
Esthetics: customized and natural looking so you can smile, speak and laugh with confidence
Bio-compatible: will not distort taste, stain, collect odours or irritating bacteria

Because everyone’s mouth is different, the type of denture you choose should best reflect your individual needs. Precision crafted dentures focus more on procedures and techniques used during fabrication and are finished with high quality teeth that give a natural appearance. Precision dentures require specific instrumentation designed to focus on analyzing bite registration and jaw relationships in order to maximize function and provide a more stable fit.

If you’d like to learn more about the difference between precision and standard denture options, please call 905-453-3393 to book your complimentary consultation today!

How many dental implants do I need for the lower jaw?

Everyone’s experience is different. It all depends on the shape of your lower ridge and the bone level. To retain a complete lower denture, you need a minimum of 2 dental implants. However, 3 - 4 implants are recommended to achieve maximum stability.

Do implants last long?

Yes, dental implants are long-lasting if you keep up with regular cleanings and visits to the denturist to change the plastic rings inside the dentures, which help retain the dentures in place.