Get a Grip on Your Loose Dentures!

If your denture feels a little loose, then you might try adding a bit of adhesive to tighten its grip on your dental ridge. If that doesn’t work, then you may have to visit your prosthetic dentist again to have your denture remeasured and possibly remade. Patients who’ve worn dentures for several years and longer may be familiar with the phenomenon of loose dentures, which can be especially frustrating since dentures are designed to fit snugly along your gums. However, patients who’ve supported their dentures on a series of dental implants can enjoy their new smiles without worrying about troublesome loose dentures.

When you lose your teeth, the missing crowns, or top portions, are the most visible aspect of your condition. Below your gum line, however, your jawbone also suffers from the loss of your teeth’s roots. Once embedded in your jawbone, missing teeth roots create indentations in your dental ridge. The area around the empty socket is resorbed by your body, which harvests the bone’s minerals since it no longer has to support a tooth root. Without the stimulation of teeth roots, your jawbone can eventually deteriorate and shrink from a lack of adequate nutrients, causing your dental ridge to change shape.

Although dentures are designed to restore your ability to bite and chew by replacing your lost teeth’s crowns, they can do little to address the absence of your teeth’s natural support system. Contrarily, dental implants can be surgically inserted into your jawbone and used to support your dentures, providing your replacement teeth with a foundation similar to the roots of your natural teeth. Instead of adhesives, implants mechanically hold your dentures in place, eliminating the risk of your dentures slipping.

Keeping a tighter grip on your dentures is the immediate benefit of dental implants, along with the comfort and improved function that accompany that tighter grip. In the long run, implants help preserve your oral health by restoring root stimulation in your jawbone when you bite and chew. The activity helps maintain an adequate flow of nutrient-rich blood to your jawbone and remaining teeth, reducing your chances of future tooth loss due to jawbone deterioration.

Dr. Quinn Smith is a well-respected and highly experienced general, cosmetic, restorative, and implant dentist in Grand Prairie, TX. He takes a patient-first approach that starts from the moment patients enter our Pecan Tree Dental office, and he offers a three-year guarantee on all dental work that he performs. Whether you’re a new or returning patient, you can schedule a consultation or your next appointment with Dr. Smith by contacting us at (972) 262-5111.