This time of year, you usually enjoy tons of amazing foods, and you can’t wait to get started with the celebrations. However, if your lower denture won’t stay in place, you won’t get far in your tasting! Your prosthetic teeth are meant to be customized to your unique mouth, so why is this denture not fitting properly? Understanding the reasons and your options can help you make better decisions about replacing your teeth.
Reasons Your Lower Denture Isn’t Fitting
Not Enough Time
If you’ve just received your new dentures, these prosthetic teeth are supposed to fit snugly on your arches, but don’t expect to immediately be an expert in using them. It takes time to get accustomed to everyday functions with new dentures, and they can feel as though they aren’t staying in place at first.
Insufficient Jawbone
You may have noticed that many seniors even with dentures have a more sunken facial shape. Especially for those who have had missing teeth for a long time, the jawbone can lose density and shape. As a result, there’s much less for the dentures to hold onto for stability.
It’s because of this slow deterioration over time that dentures need to be relined every other year and replaced about every five years or so. Otherwise, they’ll slip more regularly.
Options for Getting Your Dentures to Stay in Place
Practice and Patience
After getting new dentures, try to give yourself a bit of time to adjust to them. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at using them comfortably. If, however, they continue to slip or cause pain, contact your dentist. They may need to alter the dentures further for a better fit.
Denture Adhesive
Although your dentures should ideally fit and function well without adhesive, this substance can be beneficial for holding these prosthetic teeth in place, especially if you need support for just a short period of time. If applied for the day, the adhesive should be removed and your dentures cleaned before you soak them at night.
Dental Implants for More Security
If you want a more permanent solution for making your dentures remain stable, dental implants offer the best outcomes. Stimulating new growth in the jawbone, implants are embedded in this tissue and anchor your dentures in place like real teeth. As a result, you can have a more varied, more nutritious diet and more confidence as you talk or eat around others. You don’t have to worry about your lower denture slipping out of place, and these replacements last for decades, rather than just a few years.
You’ll need your lower denture to be secure if you want to sample all the festive foods this season, and while the best long-term solution is to attach your dentures to implants, you have options to improve your experience for now as well.
About the Author
Dr. Jonathan Smiley at Smiley Family Dentistry earned his dental degree from the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine, but he has continued to improve his knowledge and expertise through extensive training. In fact, he has studied with the Dawson Dental Academy, one of the nation’s most prestigious organizations. If you have questions about your dentures or about getting dental implants, contact our team online here or call our Waverly office at 319-352-2270 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Smiley.