Temporary Denture - in Your Local Area

Ouch: Denture Stomatitis

Lots of false teeth wearers know about it: stomatitis.

Stomatitis - "denture sore mouth" - is the most common symptom of yeast invasion, where tiny blisters develop on the gums. Other signs are patchy white spots in the mouth, a burning sensation, or a persistent unpleasant salty taste.

It's not all your fault. Your denture has something to do with it.

Prosthodontics with soft liners or those relined with a non-pressure process can harbor troublesome yeasts. On the other hand, pressure-processed dentures (the bubbles are pressed out under heat) are less porous and therefore less friendly to Candida infection.

Two brand-name processes that resist Candida are Ivoclar acrylic and Astron vinyl. If you have recurring denture stomatitis, ask your prosthodontist about one of these processes at your next reline.

Beat the yeast

If you're not due for new false teeth or a reline, you can take measures to control the growth of Candida at home. Cleaning dentures using the following recipe will help: Soak your dentures for two hours, four times a week in equal parts bleach, dish detergent and water. Follow this by a one-hour soak in half vinegar/half water.

This brew seems to work, but some false teeth materials can lose color - and any denture with metal parts other than gold will suffer.

Even better...The Journal of the American Dental Association recommends using a denture care solution containing benzoic acid that looks effective in killing yeasts with no damage to the prosthodontics. Commercially it's called Oral Safe (Great Lakes Ortho Laboratories, Tonawanda, NY), available through your dentist. There are remedies to "denture sore mouth." Because denture problems are a pain you just don't have to live with.

+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.

Mini Dental Implants and Denture Stabilization

Denture implants are a great solution for patients whose dentures just don't quite stay put.

Also known as mini dental implants, they are slender titanium screws that a dental implant dentist or prosthodontist attaches to your jawbone in a simple surgical procedure. Just 2-4 mini implants attached to your lower jaw can ensure that your denture never wanders again.

Mini implants are considerably smaller than standard tooth implants, so the dental implant surgery is less invasive, takes less time, and heals faster. In addition, denture implants cost less.

Denture patients will often be given a provisional denture to immediately wear over their implants. Once the implants have healed, a permanent denture can be fabricated, or the patient's existing denture can be retrofitted to accommodate the denture implants. The removable denture will snap on to the implants to provide added support, stability and retention.

Many a denture dentist loves being able to offer dental implant therapy. "I have done around 20 cases using mini implants under lower dentures," said one dentist. "I feel this is one of the best things I have done for my patients and my practice."

Agreed another, "In the correct situation and understanding how to use them, they are a wonderful long-term solution."

As with regular dental implant surgery, the dentist will need to take X-rays an possibly bone scans to make sure there is enough bone to support the implants. Since the cost of dental therapy is significant, there's no sense placing implants that are likely to fail.

+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.