If your denture fit is off, it’s always a sign you should visit your dentist to have them looked at. While many denture wearers may realize this if they are experiencing pain, others may put the visit off.
Often, they’ll look for tips on how to tighten dentures at home or how to make your dentures fit better.
Why does it happen that dentures become loose? How is it that one day they fit and the next you’re wondering if your dentures are too big for your mouth?
There are many different reasons you may be experiencing denture fit problems. Let’s go over what may be happening in your situation so we can improve your oral health.
How Should Dentures Fit In Your Mouth?
Partial Dentures
If you’re wearing partial dentures to fill a gap in your smile or even permanent dentures, then they should fit to stay in line with your natural teeth.
How do you know you have partial dentures problems?
While slight movement may naturally happen, significant movement is a problem.
After the initial period of a few weeks getting used to your partial dentures, you should feel comfortable talking and eating with them in. If they’re moving so much you’re uncomfortable, see your dentist.
Full Dentures
Your full upper dentures should suction to the top of your mouth.
The bottom denture should rest on your gums and bones without significant movement.
If you have a loose lower denture this is very common. Lower denture problems occur from the lack of bone support and the movement of all the muscles of the tongue, lips and cheeks.
To permanently get rid of your loose lower then consider adding two dental implants, also known as snap in dentures. With just 2 implants you will never worry about your denture slipping or moving and you will eat anything you want to.
Are your dentures cutting into your gums? Are you experiencing denture pain? See your dentist so you can discuss options.
Taking Care Of Your Dentures To Keep Them Fitting Well
The better you care for your dentures, the better they’ll fit.
This is in part because if you’re rough while handling them, they can break or bend.
A more common problem that leads to loose dentures and partial dentures problems is using things like regular toothpaste to keep your dentures clean.
You want to use denture specific cream to clean your dentures. Why? The substances in toothpaste may be great for natural teeth, but your dentures are made of different materials. Toothpaste is abrasive for dentures and can corrode the material over time.
This leads to improper denture fit, dentures cutting into gums, and denture pain.
How to Make Your Dentures Fit Better?
If you suffer from ill fitting dentures you may be miserable. Not being able to smile or eat properly with your teeth can affect patients of all ages.
- Take great care of them over time. Brush the dentures at night and leave them out of your mouth.
- Weekly you can soak them in a denture cleaner.
- Use denture cream if they are loose. A little bit of adhesive will go a long way.
- Have them adjusted by a dentist
- Have the denture relined
Stay away from using the denture adhesive strips on your false teeth. They may feel comfortable but they affect the position of the denture and you will be prone to breaking teeth.
When something feels off with them, visit your dentist! If there is something wrong with them fitting properly, your dentist can adjust the acrylic so it does not rub the gum in that area. To tighten the false teeth against the gums the dentist may need add a liner inside the denture to make them fit tightly again.
Your Gums Will Change Over Time
Without natural teeth in your gums, they will become less dense. When your gums change, the denture fit will as well.
Even with natural teeth, your gums naturally change as you age, just like the rest of your body does. It is normal for the gums to become smaller.
If you have had dentures for several years only to wonder “are my dentures too big for my mouth?”, they probably are.
Don’t turn to home remedies. It can be tempting to look for how to tighten dentures at home, but you have invested in your smile with your dentures. Having your dentist reline them is the safest way to keep your dentures in great condition.
Or consider adding dental implants to make them snap on dentures and never use denture adhesives again!
You And Your Dentures Will Change Over Time
Your dentures will not last forever. Natural teeth don’t last forever, either. The best you can do is take great care of them so they last longer and visit your dentist regularly to keep your dental health and the state of your denture fit in the best shape possible.
If you ever have questions about your dental care, contact our team to schedule an appointment! We are here for you!
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