Why properly fitting dentures matter.
Dentures stay in place through a precise match to the gums, the remaining teeth, and the way you bite. When that match is lost, they slip, sore, and make eating and speaking harder than they need to be.
Las Vegas Prosthodontics · 851 S Rampart Blvd, Suite 250, Summerlin · Board Certified Prosthodontist Joshua Renk, DDS, MSD
What a proper fit feels like
A complete denture uses intimate contact and, on the upper, a seal. A partial uses rests and clasps or attachments so it does not sink into the gums. You should be able to speak and chew without holding the denture with your tongue or reaching for adhesive at every meal.
If the denture was accurate on delivery and now moves, the mouth has usually changed — not your “tolerance.” Bone remodels after teeth are lost. The ridge that supported the denture last year is not identical this year.
Relines before a full remake
A reline adds material so the base meets the current tissue. It is a straightforward visit when the teeth and bite are still correct. There can be a short period of refinement after a reline. If clasps are bent, teeth are worn, or the denture has been fractured, relining the old base may only postpone a remake.
When implants change the fit
Implants can give a denture something solid to attach to. Overdentures snap onto locators or bars; fixed hybrids do not come out at home. Stability improves for patients who cannot get a seal on a conventional denture, especially on a lower ridge that has flattened.
Implants are not required for every loose denture. Many patients need a better conventional denture or a reline first. We will say which problem you have.
What patients ask about this.
Why did my dentures fit at first and not now?
The jaw changes after teeth are lost. A denture that is not relined or remade will eventually sit on a different shape than the one it was made for.
Is denture adhesive a long-term solution?
Adhesive can supplement a decent fit. It cannot correct a denture that rocks or a bite that has collapsed. If you need more paste every month, the prosthesis needs to be seen.
Can implants be added under my current dentures?
Sometimes as a temporary. The final implant-supported prosthesis is typically new so it matches the implant positions and the bite we want.
Ready to discuss your situation?
Board Certified Prosthodontist care in Summerlin, Las Vegas. New patients welcome. No referral required.