With more than 40 million Americans wearing dentures, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for new patients. When you have that many different people with the same basic issue, many of them will handle it differently from one another.
For example, many people will have tender gums that don’t react well to traditional dentures because the dentures cause their gums to be sore.
Here are a few strategies you can try to create the best dentures for tender gums, courtesy of the outstanding team at Portrait Dental.
If you are missing multiple teeth or must have your teeth extracted, you will likely need dentures, which are an appliance inserted into the mouth to replace your natural teeth and provide support for your cheeks and your mouth. They can be made to fit over existing teeth if you still have any; they can also be attached to dental implants for a more secure fit.
Over time, the dentures begin to wear away and will need to be replaced or repaired — this is often when problems crop up for people who have tender gums. Your jaw alignment can even change as the bone begins to recede or shrink where your teeth have been extracted.
These factors make it important to get regular dental examinations, so your dentist can look for any problems that are starting to develop.
After you have been wearing your dentures for a year or two, the fit of your dentures can change as your gum tissue changes. Typically, they’ll become looser and prone to movement, which can cause additional problems.
Normal denture wearers have a hard reline every couple of years, during which time a layer of plastic is removed from the dentures, which are then adjusted with a new layer of acrylic material to fit the new shape of your gum tissue more securely.
For people with tender gums, however, the relining should take place with a soft material that stays pliable for two years before needing to be replaced. This soft reline absorbs shock between the hard base of your dentures and the softer tissue of your gums.
This makes sore and tender spots on your gums much less likely to occur than with the typical hard acrylic material used for a normal reline. The soft liner also provides relief if you have receded or flattened gum tissues or gums with sharp, bony areas. They also make chewing easier!
As with any set of dentures, you’ll still need to make regular visits to your dentist to check your dentures and your overall oral health.
Now that you have a better idea of what is possible for tender gums, feel free to contact the Portrait Dental office to set up a more detailed consultation. Just call our office, or book an appointment online, and we’ll take care of everything from there!
