My dentist replaced my eight-year-old denture with a new one. She is not the dentist who placed my first denture. She took the impression, did a wax bite, and completed two wax try-ins. I told my dentist that the denture felt loose. She told me not to worry about the fit; she just wanted to ensure I liked the denture teeth. The denture teeth looked great, so I agreed.
My final denture is just as loose as the try-in. Now, my dentist said I need time to adjust. But nothing has changed. She told me to use Fixodent, but the denture is still loose. She has ground on the molar teeth on the denture, and they look awful. She said that I may need a reline. Why would I need a reline on a new denture? We planned to get a good fit until I could afford denture implants. I hope she is not trying to get me to agree to the implants before I am ready. The try-in was loose, so shouldn’t she return to that step? What should I ask her to do? – Thanks, Wes from Chicago
Wes,
Although your dentist skipped some steps to ensure a snug fit when making your denture, a reline should help it fit better.
Getting an Accurate Fit with Dentures
The process:
- Take an alginate impression
- Make a preliminary model of the jaw
- Use the model to make a custom tray
- Use a heavier impression material to measure the areas that will be the denture borders. A border that presses into the soft tissue will ensure a snug fit
- Use a light-body material to fill the interior of the impression and register soft-tissue details
Relining Your New Denture
When your denture relines your new denture, she may use the custom tray for a more accurate impression. You can ask your dentist to use a two-step impression.
A dentist can give you a secure fit with dentures with a two-step impression, but some dentists use a three-step impression.
Your dentist must include the necessary steps to fit the denture correctly. Even though the wax try-in is an approximate fit and checks the position of your teeth, if your dentist gets the impressions right, your denture will fit better.
When you are ready for implant dentures, your dentist can refer you to a periodontist. Your dentist may be able to adapt the denture base to attach to the implants. You can wear temporary teeth while waiting for the implants to heal.
Dr. David Pumphrey, an Atlanta periodontist, sponsors this post.
