How Often Should You Reline Your Dentures?
Are you struggling with incomplete dentures? Are your thoughts running wild about what treatment would be the best fit for you? Replacing or re-lining of your dentures can help make them fit properly and more comfortable in your mouth. But if you are unsure when to do a reline, then it is important that you gain an understanding of the signs and symptoms that suggest they need a reline, as well as what types of relines exist. Read on to learn everything you need to know about when to perform a denture reline and how it affects their performance!
What is a denture reline?
When dentures no longer fit well a denture reline may be needed. A denture reline is when a dental prosthetist will modify your dentures by adding material to the part of the dentures that come in contact with your gum surface to make the dentures fit better. It’s a very common procedure and a normal part of having dentures.
Why do people need denture relines?
The human body is amazing, efficient, and very smart – sometimes to a fault. When someone loses teeth, the body realizes that the bone structure that was previously used to hold those teeth in place is no longer needed. The resources used to maintain that part of the jawbone can be better used elsewhere in the body. This leads to the jawbone shrinking. The process is slow, but noticeable over time. Dentures are usually customs made to perfectly fit an individual’s jaw and gum structure. As the jawbone shrinks, the dentures no longer fit.
How often do dentures need a reline?
A dental prosthetist will usually perform a denture reline every 2 years. It is possible that a patient will need a denture reline before two years, or someone may not need any denture work at 2 years and beyond. Everyone is different, but 2 years tends to be the general rule of thumb.
Knowing when to reline dentures
It’s important to know when to reline dentures, so here are some signs that you should lookout for as an indication that you need to talk to your dental prosthetist about having a denture reline.
- It’s been about two years since you received your dentures or since your last denture reline
- You have difficulty eating and chewing your food
- Pain or discomfort that won’t go away
How long does it take?
The good news is that a denture reline is a fairly quick procedure. It usually takes about two hours to reline dentures. The dental prosthetist will first clean your dentures. Then they will grind away a small amount of material in the area where the dentures come in contact with your gums. They may also grind away any material that is causing you discomfort. Finally, they will use a special resin to mold the dentures to your mouth. All of this in less than a day.
Dentures are one of the greatest dental advancements since the invention of the humble toothbrush. Dentures enable a person to chew and enjoy food, speak clearly, and have a nice smile. Dentures improve the overall quality of life for people who have teeth missing. Unfortunately, dentures sometimes lose their fit and need special maintenance from a dental prosthetist. A dental reline is the procedure a dental prosthetist will perform to get your dentures fitting like new again.