6 Signs of Poor Fitting Dentures

Almost 1 in 5 Irish adults over the age of 54 have no natural teeth. In most cases they are wearing complete dentures. But the questions is Do they Fit properly? Are they comfortable? According to a recent study carried out by Trinity College Dublin (The Longitudinal Study on Ageing 2017).

Dentures are designed to enable people to smile, speak and eat with dignity and confidence. They must be carefully looked after and maintained to ensure they last as long as they are designed too. But how do you know when your denture needs an adjustment or repair or replacing?

6 signs of poor fitting dentures and the main indicators that a trip to our specialist denture clinics might be necessary.

Discomfort

If you are experiencing discomfort or sharp pain when you bite or chew food? How about jaw soreness or uneven pressure in parts of your mouth? This may indicate that you need to refit your dentures to the shape of your mouth today. Dentures shouldn’t be causing you any pain or discomfort and if they are, it’s a sign they need attention. Most Dentures are considered to have a life span of around 5 years.

Dentures that move

Your dentures should have been made to fit perfectly over your gums when they were first fitted. They most likely did or certainly if they were made with us we are sure they did. Unfortunately, over time the natural changes in our mouth means that the dentures will no longer fit in those places. The gums and jawbone deteriorate over time and the natural gum resorption results in the dentures becoming loose. When this occurs, you need to have a reline or refit, or if close to 5 years old a remake to ensure a great fit.

Difficulty Speaking

Speech difficulties can be common in new denture wearers as you get used to speaking with an appliance in your mouth. A denture can be responsible for the creation of excess saliva, which makes it sound like you are gargling or lisping when you speak. With practice in the mirror, and by swallowing before talking many of these minor speech issues can be overcome.

As a TOP TIP with new dentures we recommend sucking a hard boiled (sugar free) sweet twice daily to speed up this process. Don’t chew, just suck the sweet and it helps get the saliva flowing and speeds up the bedding in process of your dentures.  However, if after a few weeks you are still having issues it may mean that your dentures need a slight adjustment. At Dental Tech Group we will adjust your new dentures for free over the first 90 days. As we know from experience it can take up to 2 months for new dentures to fully bed in.

Pain in the gums, often accompanied with bleeding

When dentures are not fitting well they start moving when you are eating and chewing and can cause rubbing on your gums and irritation.  Your gums are very sensitive and therefore this rubbing can cause sores to develop and in some instances some areas to bleed.  If you experience something like that then you need to have your dentures reviewed and possibly even replaced.  For New Dentures: It is important to note that while dentures may feel “odd” through the bedding in process, they should never be sore or create sores or bleeding gums.  If you experience something like that then you need to have your dentures reviewed and adjusted immediately.

A ‘Clicking Noise’ when eating

Some denture wearers develop an unconscious habit of playing with their dentures using their tongue. But if your dentures are clicking through no fault of your own, it could mean they are not fitting snugly on your gums or your bite needs to be adjusted as it is not meeting correctly when you bite. In either case please contact one of our denture clinics for a free consultation to discuss or even still book in for an adjustment.

Bad breath or strange mouth taste.

Just like your natural teeth plaque can build up on your dentures, and over time this can result in bad breath or a strange taste in your mouth. After eating, bits of food can be left in and around your dentures, which needs to be cleaned properly every day. 

Please see our link here to the Do’s and Don’t’s of cleaning dentures

https://www.dentaltech.ie/how-to-care-for-your-dentures/

Dentures are meant to be a solution to a problem, not a cause of a problem. If you are experiencing poor fitting dentures or any of the issues discussed above please contact one of our clinics. We have extensive dentures experience and are confident that we can help you.

Article by Bevin Mahon, B.Soc.Sc. Managing Director of Dental Tech Group and passionate about improving quality of life for our clients 

Contact us on 01 4551866 or email clinics@dentaltech.ie to book a FREE denture consultation with one of our specialists. 

You can find Dental Tech Denture Clinics in the following places: 

DUBLIN – Whitehall House, Terenure, Dublin 6W – Call 01 4551866 

WEXFORD – The Whitemill Medical Centre, Wexford – Call 053 9192999 

WATERFORD – Waterford Health Park, Waterford – Call 051 365999