Affordable Dentures - in Your Local Area

Common Questions About Affordable Dentures

New experiences generate many questions. Here are some frequently asked questions patients often ask about dentures.

Affordable Dentures Are All the Same, Right?

No. Maintaining good oral health is important to denture wearers. Mail-order services offering discounts on dentures cannot provide the custom fit you need for good oral health. Poor-fitting dentures cause chronic irritation, contributing to mouth sores and changes in the bone or gum tissues. Your dentist wants you to enjoy a comfortable fit, and will carefully measure and prepare your mouth for affordable dentures. Dentists work with reputable dental labs where skilled technicians create your custom-fit, affordable dentures for maximum comfort.

Will My Eating Habits Need to Change?

Actually, there are very few eating restrictions for denture wearers. If you experience eating difficulties at any time, it is important to contact your dentist. Poor-fitting dentures can contribute to eating difficulties. Dentures that fit right are vital for enjoying a well-balanced diet that includes a wide assortment of foods.

Do I Have to Wear Denture Adhesives?

Dentures are custom-designed for a comfortable and good fit for you. As a result, they usually don't require the regular use of an adhesive, unless it's to stabilize dentures in need of repair. Poor-fitting dentures must be checked by your dentist as soon as possible to eliminate discomfort and the potential for irritation.

Will These "Permanent" Teeth Last a Lifetime?

Dentures are very durable but that doesn't make them indestructible. They can discolor, chip, break, and bend out of shape. With good care, affordable dentures should last for many years. Here are some tips for maintaining the appearance and extending the life of your dentures:

• Use a brush designed specifically for dentures and a denture cleaner. Regular toothpaste can be too harsh for dentures.
• Store dentures in a container of denture-cleaning solution or water. /li>
• Soak in warm, not hot water. Hot water can damage their shape.
• Use an effervescent cleansing tablet once a week to kill odor-causing bacteria.

Affordable dentures offer many benefits to the millions who wear them. While they take some initial adjustment, they can enhance your smile as well as your long-term confidence. Return to your dentist at least once a year to evaluate fit, appearance, and to receive an oral cancer screening.

by Brian J. Gray, D.D.S., M.A.G.D., F.I.C.O.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

False Teeth - Usefulness of Denture Adhesives

Denture adhesives enhance the retentive interface between the surface of a denture and the underlying tissues upon which false teeth rest.

Optimizing the Interface Space

There is a slight space at the interface between the inside of a denture and the jaw that is usually filled with saliva. As this gap increases, a denture becomes less retentive and stable.

The interface space arises because of material and fabrication limitations used in making a denture. This gap also is contributed to by the constant changing contour and shrinkage of jawbone.

While an interface space exists in all dentures and increases with time, optimum denture function and retention depends upon reducing it. Denture adhesives fill this increasing space, improve suction, and create a sticky contact between a denture and underlying surfaces. This also helps resist foods from collecting under the denture base.

How to Use Denture Adhesives

Thin paste adhesives are preferred to powders since they are already fluid and easier to manage and apply. However, some prefer powder types. Whatever works best for an individual should be used.

Pea-sized amounts of the paste may be placed in a few places within a denture where jaw ridges fit and where the roof of the mouth contacts. A thin film of adhesive spreads out as a denture seats in the mouth. Use the least amount to do the "job."

If excess amounts are necessary, then the opinion of a dentist should be sought since denture maintenance may be necessary. A licensed dentist should be routinely seen at six-month intervals for routine oral examinations and bite adjustments.

A person needs to experiment with how often to apply adhesives. Some apply it before meals while others function satisfactorily all day with one application.

A denture and mouth should be cleaned of all adhesives at least once a day, and the denture should be left out of a cleaned and rinsed mouth for at least an hour a day.

How to Clean Up Your Dentures

It can be difficult removing adhesives. The denture may be cleaned with a brush, soap, and running water, or with a little white distilled vinegar in water.

All adhesives should be removed from the mouth for hygienic purposes. Rinsing with extremely warm water or salt water helps removal. It may be necessary to use a soft toothbrush or wash cloth-like material to assist removal from the mouth tissues.

Advantages of Denture Adhesives

• Effectively fills the interface gap between a denture and underlying jaw.
• Provides a sense of security with wearing dentures, even with well-fitting dentures when additional confidence is desired.
• Facilitates acceptability and builds confidence with wearing new dentures.
• Reduces food impaction beneath dentures by closing prosthesis borders.
• Helps an individual open their mouth wider for more confident chewing (increases the chewing stroke), rather than eating with small strokes to compensate for concerns about the potential for a denture coming loose.
• Decreases the irritation and chafing of mouth tissues from habits such as grinding teeth together (parafunctional activities).
• Facilitates wearing dentures for individuals with persistent dry mouth (xerostomia).

Disadvantages of Adhesives

• Difficult to remove denture adhesive from the mouth and denture.
• A false sense of security that a denture is still satisfactory may develop from using adhesives with a poorly-fitting denture that should be relined, replaced, or maintained in different ways.

by Joseph J. Massad, D.D.S.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.