Information

The above picture was taken at Ravenglass Cumbria on the River Irt. The Pennington Hotel in the foreground. Well recommended. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions.

1 How do I keep my dentures Clean?

Dentures are not self cleansing and require dabbing with a brush to remove the food residues after every meal as you are suppose to do with your own natural dentition.

The use of commercial cleaners are generally bleach based and under long term soaking attack the surface and make the acrylic porous and reduce the impact strength. This eventually causes fracture of the denture. Usually between the two front teeth. Because commercial cleaners are a penetrant in nature to disinfect efficiently they penetrate the joint between the tooth and the pink plastic base cuusing the teeth to fracture off.

Excessive cleaning results in flattening of the molar teeth, reducing the chewing efficiency making it longer for the wearer to eat a meal and are quite often the last to finish in company. 

The use of boiling water or elevated heated water with commercial cleaners increases the bleaching effect speeding up the deterioration process of the teeth and denture base.

My advice to to use NITRIDINE tablets which I supply at the clinic and as long as the manuufacturers instructions are followed your dentures will stay clean and in good condition.

With every set of dentures I supply a Nitridine Denture Spa and tablets with full instructions. The Spa is filled with cold water and one nitradine tablet included. When activated (with 2 AAA batteries) the unit vibrates and the solution efficiently penetrates and cleans the dentures. In this way cleaning and disinfecting are effectively undertaken simultaneously.  

Removel of Plaque

Plaque is a surface deposit which builds up and discolours the dentures as well as being a medium that bateria can live in. 

Commercial cleaners are really anti plaque removers and therefore need that all dentures are thoroughly cleaned in soft soap (washing up liquid) and water using a dabbing action rather than a rubbing action.

Using a side ways rubbing motion abrades the teeth and pink base which removes manufacturers cosmetic detailed surface and the high polish that I put on in the manufaturing process.  

Smokers

Unfortunately, the effect of nicotine products on dentures is deteriorating as they are on natural gums and penetrate in between the the slighiest areas.

 I  am therefore unable to guarantee that my dentures can resist smoke induced damage.

Smokers toothpast being a very fine abrasive will clean. but will reduce the surface of cosmetic dentures. Extra strong cleaning action only increases the penetrating effect and causes a porous denture and weaker strengthed dentures. Secure tablets state they will remove rough nicotine stains.     

2.How Long should dentures last?

There are numerous factors which effect the longevity of dentures. I will list a few:- 

The type of food and the frequency.

meat products require more chewing as against fish products

Cleaning protocol.

As stated above

Medical conditions and medication prescribed.

Unfortunately medication alterers the ph value of saliva and makes it more of a hostile environment for acrylic resin.

Acid reflux is a common condition wereby stomach acid is ejected into the mouth and onto the upper palate surface causing severe acid attack with a yellowy porous effect. In severe cases the cosmetic structures of the facial aspect is attacked with deterioration  and fracture resulting. 

Saliva status.

As we mature our saliva changes in constituents, texture, fluidity and amount.

thick or dense low viscosity saliva has a less self irrigating properties and therefore tartare buildup is difficult as a many older people are unable to monitor their conditions. 

Not uncommon for dentures to be uncomfortable and require replacement with a soft lining included to increase comfort  

Quality of molar and front teeth.

The quality of back teeth selected for dentures is ultimatelly responsible for maintaining the correct nose/ chin  dimension measured in the vertical dimension. Double cross linked DCL or phonares including Nano particles are the latest in edge impact and maintain this dimension effectivelly.

This is sometimes described as  ' lower jaw overclosure' were the lower jaw goes up to far and is almost touching the nose and sticking out. Poor quality teeth placement or poor denture  management are to blame. 

This situation can have a damaging effect on the joint next to the ears known as the Temperomandibular joint. This is a non load bearing joint being a guidance joint for muscles and tendons to guide the tooth supported lower jaw as it articulates with the upper jaw. Any absence of teeth or excessive wearing will result in this joint incurring vertical loading with damage occuring, such as clicking or paing. 

3. Are they covered on any insurance policy for damage or holiday incidents?

Dentures are generally classed as personal items as glasses are. However for repair or loss of such item it is important you check with your holiday insurance company.

I do not sell insurance for dentures however if you

 approach your home insurance broker they may have a policy clause for such items. NHS dentures are not insurable. 

Insurance against breakage or loss at home

Again  approaching an insurance company is your best option. Many denture owners have dogs who are known to chew dentures thinking they are a bone. Again the home insurance is your best option.

4. What do I do when my dentures are loose?

Dentures need to be inspected frequently to check for any mouth problems which may be causing looseness such as an erupting root or pronounced bony surface.

Re-attending my clinic for a free inspection is cheaper in the long run rather than going down the road of trying various denture fixative. Denture fixatives only work if the dentures fit the mouth. They cannot offer adhesion to spaces of 1 to 3mm thicknesses between the mouth and denture.

Dentures can be relined or rebased depending on the state of the rest of the denture.

My feeling is that it is uneconomical to reline old dentures that you don't like or you can't speak with or eat with. Just because you have had them 50 years!?

In many cases the grinding surfaces are so badly worn that they will not chew in a balanced way even after rebasing.

 

 

 

5. What do I do when I find it difficult to eat with my dentures?

Occasionally restrictions in function and looseness are associated with unbalanced forward and side ways chewing movements. Excessive wear on one side only causes such problems or wear on the internal surfaces of the upper denture results in cuspal locking when trying to move sideways. Denture wearers with such a condition will resort to chewing in a backs and forwards motion.This movement has a deteriorating effect on the thinner front ridge with excessive supporting bone resorption resulting.

This then results in the upper denture rocking from front to back. This problem is the result of poor quality teeth in the molar and bicuspid area of both upper and lower dentures.

6.My upper teeth have gone up and I cant see them!

Unless the dentures were incorrectly made origionally, as we approach maturity our facial muscles loose their youthful appearance and produce a long face look. The upper lip flattens and drops.   

It is not that the denture has gone up in your mouth; It is the fact that your lip has dropped and lost the vermillion border puffiness.

New dentures with facial support can be achievable to a degree, however dentures can not be expected to perform the work required of Botox.

Again, We must consider comfort and function. Were  severe cases of plumped dentures have been encouraged serious speech dysfunction and denture fit occur. With the result of confrontation between the operator and patient.

In cases were the upper ridge has callapsed at the front the bony palate of the maxila however does move and prevents upward movemment. This is reversed on the lower bone area as the missing palate is replaced with the horse shoe shaped lower denture. The consequence of this is the lower denture drops down behind the lower lip as the lower ridge shrinks.

Is it time for Cosmetic Dentures and lip support?            

7 When Do I need a new Denture after I have had some teeth extracted?

Generally speaking the initial large degree of shrinkage of gum following an extraction is approximately within a three month period. Depending upon the number of teeth extracted and their location decides the disruption to the denture function including the fit. The condition of the bone can be a disadvantage as the bone that once supported the natural teeth may be poor condition and liable to fracture and shrinkage.  

Were one to two tooth has been extracted a localised reline under a extracted root area is possible without having a full reline.This is usually possible at the front of the mouth.

However, the high pressure of chewing at the sides of the mouth can result in the denture rocking side to side and may require more frequent relines. 

It may be advisable to have a second denture to fall back on in case of reline requirements.