Why are the inside of my dentures rough like sandpaper?

Question: I just got new dentures. The inside of each is as rough as rough sandpaper. Should these have been polished? Dr. Hair: While the denture is polished on the outside, the inside is not.  The denture is supposed to fit into every crevice (or nook and cranny if you will).  This intimate adaptation to your tissues insures the best fit for the longest lasting restoration.  If you were to polish the inside, you would loose some of that adaptation.

The only reason for concern would be if the "sandpaper surface" were to cause sore spots; then you would need to have the offending area adjusted by your dentist.

Plastic vs Porcelain Dentures

Question: I have always had porcelin dentures and have been very happy with them. This new set is plastic. How long should I expect them to last? Will they discolor faster? (I'm thinking of plastic bowls that discolor quickly.)

Dr. Hair: Happy to help. I've always felt that when patients have more information, they make better decisions.

As far as staining goes, the dentures with the plastic teeth would actually stain less. The porcelain teeth are held in the pink acrylic strictly by undercuts (mechanical retention only); whereas, the plastic teeth actually bond to the pink denture base. The area of stain seen on porcelain teeth is at the junction of the porcelain teeth and the pink denture base because it isn't sealed (bonded) like the plastic.

How long will they last? We used to choose porcelain teeth because they looked better (more aesthetic) and would last longer. However, because of advancements in denture teeth, some of the plastic teeth actually look as good or even better than the porcelain. Also some of the new, premium plastic teeth are very hard and will last a long time; however, many economy denture teeth are made of a softer grade of plastic which wears more quickly.

I have not noticed staining with good quality denture teeth.

Should I get both the top and bottom denture at the same time?

Question: I am 47 yrs old and ready to get dentures. I have had bad teeth since I was young due to poor dental hygene. I have 3 teeth in the top which 2 are porclein and have on ten left in the bottom. I also have peradontal gum disease in the middle of my bottom teeth.

My question is; Would it be better to go ahead and get both the top and bottom dentures instead of just the top? In the past I have had my teeth fixed 3 different times, but due to my past drug abuse (5 yrs clean) even my gums are in bad shape. I am a smoker. And could I get implants even with my gums in bad shape? Dr Hair:

Keep in mind that I am answering your question without ever looking into your mouth...  Since you state that you have periodontal disease, and you are missing several teeth, I would have to assume that your bite is not level due to the other teeth drifting and shifting.  If you are going to have both upper and lower dentures, it is always better to do them at the same time.  Otherwise, you make one denture fit against the shifted and drifted teeth of the other arch.

When you have the second denture fabricated, it is made to fit against the first denture.  Then you have dentures that are as irregular as the teeth were.  I have yet to have a denture patient who did not want me to make their new teeth prettier than the ones we were removing.

Dr. Hair: Implants are always a possibility as long as you have enough jaw bone or if new bone can be grafted.  Of course, the number of implants and the design of your restorations would have to be determined on an individual basis.