Q&A
Is there a pattern or mould from which dentures for anyone can be made?
Your mouth is unique, as is every mouth a denturist works with. There is no way one generic pattern or mould could be used to make anybody a denture. A denture is processed using a custom mould made of your mouth, and that mould is broken removing the denture from it. The end product is hand crafted, and no two dentures are or even could be exactly the same. Your denturist will discuss the techniques used with different qualities of materials which are available today, all variables involved in the quality and cost of producing your finished denture.
Once my denture is made, I’ll never have to go back to the denturist again.
The structures of your mouth are constantly changing, and are affected by many variables. The denture made for you today is not necessarily going to be the best fit for you after a few years of service. Not unlike glasses, where you may need to have a prescription changed to reflect changes in your eyes; dentures can be expected to provide service for 5 to 7 years, with proper periodic care.
Your general health, including weight, tension, nutrition, blood pressure, the strength of your bite and even medications you are taking, can all influence the comfort and fit of your dentures. What this means is that your mouth and dentures should be checked at least once a year in order to monitor and correct those changes which may have taken place.
Aren’t my dentures unbreakable, designed to last a lifetime?
The manufacturers of denture materials available today cannot guarantee that those materials are unbreakable. They are designed to be break resistant, but cannot be made totally indestructible. Under the right circumstances, any denture can be broken. We use the highest quality techniques to produce a denture which with proper care should last several years.
Can I wear my dentures all the time… day and night?
The simple answer is no, since your dentures are an artificial appliance and always wearing them could lead to fatigue problems in the living tissue structures of your mouth. Just as you need to rest, so does your mouth, and the way to do that is by removing the dentures. Many people have an issue with clenching their teeth at night, which actually damages their teeth and they need to wear an appliance themselves at night to protect their teeth. We now know that dentures should not be worn for some period during the day and night, and that you should also gently brush your gums with a very soft toothbrush. This helps stimulate circulation and maintains healthy oral tissues.
If I have a problem with only one denture, do I only need to have that one serviced?
Your dentures represent two halves of a whole appliance, not two single units.
Sometimes the problem with one may actually relate to an issue with the other regarding fit, design or construction or due to changes that may be happening in your mouth.
Your Denturist needs to perform a thorough oral examination with your dentures in place to determine the nature of the problem you are experiencing.
Problems with my dentures can be fixed by a reline, and they’ll be as good as new.
Excessive wear on your teeth can indicate that the bite relationship of your dentures is becoming inaccurate. Relining will not correct this issue, only lead to better fitting dentures that still do not come together properly. A thorough examination needs to be performed to determine the nature of the problem and suggest the proper solution for you.
A sign of a good denture is that I can bite off apples, carrots or other foods with my front teeth.
No one who wears a denture should be biting foods with the front teeth.
This generally causes soreness, especially on the lower denture, and can accelerate bone loss on the residual ridge which makes future dentures harder to fit.
