16 May Why Does My Denture Need to be Relined?
Dentures are often the best way for a patient to restore their ability to eat, speak and smile without feeling self-conscious after experiencing tooth loss.
Unfortunately, with tooth loss, the patient will experience bone atrophy resulting in the gum tissue changing over time. When this happens, the denture might not fit like it did when it was new.
When these dental changes occur, the denture might start to rub where it never did before resulting in sore spots. Thankfully, there is a way to make the denture comfortable and functional again. A denture that is ill fitting can be relined, often in the course of one day.
The patient has an appointment with the dentist early in the day. The denture is removed, the plastic trimmed down and a material is spread over the denture and it is replaced in the mouth forming a new impression that will allow the lab to recreate the lining to ensure a more proper fit.
This type of reline is referred to as a hard reline. The patient will return to the dentist later that day to be fitted with their “new” relined denture.
A soft reline is used when the patient is dealing with problem areas that are sore. A “temporary” softer material provides more cushion so these areas can heal before pursuing a permanent, hard reline.
A reline is not to be confused with using a denture paste to keep the denture from slipping; however, if you are faced with resorting to these products to feel comfortable and confident with your denture, maybe it is time to visit the dentist to see if a reline would be beneficial.
Dentures are wonderful inventions that go back many, many years. Over time there have been significant improvements, and dentures of today appear as lifelike as biological teeth. But in addition to being aesthetically pleasing, they must be comfortable and functional to fill the need for which they are intended.
So if you have a complete denture that doesn’t feel quite right, is putting pressure where it never did before, or is causing difficulty in word pronunciation, it is time to visit your dentist. Perhaps you need a new denture, or your current denture just needs a reline.
Having teeth that feel and look good can be attained with a great fitting, quality denture. Contact our skilled dental team at 972-264-5795 to schedule an appointment today.