Do I need new dentures?
Here at the Denture Clinic in Dudley, West Midlands we are proud of the work we provide for patients and are pleased with how patients feel about their treatment. For many, wearing a well-fitting denture can be life changing and can give a new joy in areas of life that previously caused embarrassment or discomfort.
The dentures should be well cared for to help maintain them (we have a blog post for this if you would like to take a look), but sadly, dentures don’t last forever. Due to the hostile environment of the mouth, guidelines recommend that they are changed every 5 years (this can vary, but your dental professional will advise you).
The mouth is always in use from eating and drinking to speaking and communication. It harbours a lot of bacteria too. Over time the mouth tissues subtly change shape and size because of the many factors it has affecting it. This means a denture will not always match well to your mouth if you have had it several years.
Brand new dentures being produced in our own on-site laboratory
Do I need new dentures? Here are some things to be looking out for to tell if your denture is going past it’s best:
Looseness, rocking or rubbing
The mouth is constantly changing, and although a denture may fit perfectly at the time it is given, there may be gradual changes in the mouth over time causing the denture to feel different and not fit as well as it once did. This is normal, especially if the dentures are several years old.
Cracks, ridges, wear, roughness
Over time, due to the amount of pressure placed on dentures, they can begin to show signs of wear. Mainly if they are loose or poor fitting, the denture can be more susceptible to breaking. Things like daily wear and tear – cleaning, chewing, talking cause gradual wear of the denture.
Change in colour of the teeth or gums
Especially if sat against natural teeth as a partial denture, the natural tooth colour may change and be more noticeable against the colour of the denture teeth. The denture gums may begin to lighten, primarily if harsh bleaches have been used to clean the denture. The denture may also be no longer matching aesthetically with your appearance with the shape of the teeth or the colour. Often with age people feel the appearance of their teeth may need to be altered.
Changes to natural teeth
If you also have natural teeth of your own, any treatment done to these teeth such as fillings, crowns or gum disease treatment may affect the shape of your teeth and gums. These changes can mean the denture is no longer fitting well or matching your natural teeth.
If you feel any of these issues are affecting you, get in touch with our experienced team here at the Denture Clinic. Give us a call on 01384 254 067. We offer a wide range of solutions including professional denture cleaning, same day repairs and relines.
