Three Telltale Signs Your Dentures Do Not Fit Anymore
Posted on: 2 February 2015
Dentures are made from molds of your gums and therefore are supposed to fit your mouth perfectly. Although your dentist may have tweaked the dentures for bite fit during your initial appointment, he or she made sure that there were no other problems with your dentures. If you now discover that it is uncomfortable to wear your dentures, here are three signs that your dentures no longer fit and the reasons behind them.
Open Sores and Raw Areas
If and when your gums begin to feel raw and develop open sores, it is common to assume that you have developed an oral disease or a sensitivity to a particular food. In fact, it is probably your dentures. Even with regular denture wear, your gums and jaw line can change and shift. Because you no longer have teeth to hold your jaw in a particular position, the jawbone begins to contract. Your dentures slow down the process by holding the bone in the same position it was when your dentures were made. Because of the change in shape, the dentures begin to rub, slide from side to side, slide out, and even fall out. It is the equivalent of a pair of poor fitting shoes and the development of blisters.
Bleeding Gums and Bleeding Cheeks
When dentures no longer fit, you may bite the insides of your cheeks quite often. Your gums may bleed, as they are raw from your dentures rubbing on them. Your dentist can fix all of this when he or she takes new molds of your gums and refits you with new dentures.
The Shape of Your Dentures Does Not Match the Shape of Your Gums
This sign should be obvious. Instead of a typical u-formation, your gums curve in or out on the sides, or the front dips inwards or outwards. In any case, your dentures no longer fit because your gums are not the same shape they were when your dentist took the original molds.
Visit Your Dentist Right Away
You do not have to suffer any of the above problems. Your gums and bone structure still rely on good oral health, and regular visits to your dentist help. Your dentist will spot problems with your dentures before you ever experience bleeding, sores or poorly fitting dentures. He or she will correct small issues before they become big problems. Continue to see a dentist, such as Ann L Ortega DDS, just as you would if you had your own teeth, and more often if you experience any problems with your dentures.
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