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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.

Relieve Irritation With Soft Denture Liners

A soft denture liner is placed in the part of a denture base that contacts tissues. This provides comfort for those persons experiencing considerable pain while wearing a denture that has a hard plastic interface (the inside of the denture).

These individuals may have a low threshold for pain, and/or the gum tissue that overlays jawbone is usually thinner than normal and does not resist pressure well. When such tissue is compressed between hard jawbone and hard denture plastic, pain is easily elicited. Replacing one of these hard interfaces with a soft denture liner helps eliminate or reduce this painful tissue compression.

Some Characteristics of Soft Denture Liners

Denture liners are usually fabricated from special medical grade rubber or silicone-type compounds. The silicone materials are generally more compressible and, consequently, softer.

In order for these materials to function adequately, they must be reasonably thick. Therefore, the amount of plastic that needs to be removed from the inside of a denture to allow room for these liners may weaken some dentures. In those cases, it becomes necessary to incorporate a reinforcing metal framework within the body of certain dentures. There are several steps involved in installing a soft denture liner, such as impressions and various laboratory procedures.

Soft denture liners tend to continually harden, though a patient may not be aware of this happening because the process is gradual. However, they eventually will begin to have increasing problems until a new soft denture liner is placed.

Denture liners are porous in nature, which accounts for why they are soft. However, this porosity contributes to their deterioration and collection of microorganisms.

If a soft denture liner becomes contaminated with disease-causing microorganisms (a fungus for example), it may not be possible to decontaminate the denture without having to replace the denture liner.

Persons with dry mouth usually have difficulty wearing dentures due to pain and irritation caused by the hard denture surface rubbing against underlying tissues that are not lubricated with adequate saliva. While soft denture liners would appear to be ideal for such individuals, they are generally much more difficult to maintain. Because impaired saliva production allows a very significant collection of microorganisms to buildup in the mouth, this usually results in unacceptable contamination of porous soft denture liners unless meticulous oral hygiene is maintained.

While denture liners generally will last longer than a year, they should be replaced on an annual basis or sooner. The frequency of replacement depends on each situation and the patient's oral hygiene.

Advantages of Soft Denture Liners

• A gentle and kinder denture interface for those individuals with sensitive underlying tissues.
• The soft denture liner tends to compress and conform to a constantly changing jawbone surface. While this helps prevent pain from a moderately unbalanced bite resulting from jawbone shrinkage, it is not a long-term substitute for regular adjustments to balance a denture bite.

Disadvantages of Soft Denture Liners

• Soft denture liners continually deteriorate and collect microorganisms easily; therefore, they generally are replaced on an annual basis.
• Because soft denture liners help reduce pain from an uneven bite, patients may get a false sense of security, thinking their denture is adequately functioning while the bite continues to deteriorate. Routine dental check-ups are a necessity.
• Generally, soft tissue liners are more expensive than a conventional hard denture liner.

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.