Frequently Asked Questions
- 1
Q: Can I glue my broken dentures using glue that I have at home?
NO! You won’t be able to adequately reposition the broken pieces using glue. And if you glue your denture badly, we won’t be able to salvage it. If a tooth falls out and you reposition it incorrectly, we won’t be able to replace it.
- 2
Q: Can I wear my dentures overnight?
Just like you, your gums need to rest so that they can oxygenate and relax. It’s therefore recommended that you remove your dentures when you go to sleep. Also, to prevent the acrylic from drying out and becoming discoloured, simply leave them in a glass of tepid water overnight.
If you prefer to wear your prosthesis overnight for comfort reasons, massage your gums once or twice a day with a soft toothbrush or a wet washcloth and give your gums at least one break so that they can oxygenate and relax. I often suggest to my customers that they remove their dentures when having a wash to give their gums time to relax. Half an hour is better than nothing.
- 3
Q: How do you eat wearing dentures?
When you get a new dental prosthesis fitted, your first meals should be soft, and you should take small bites. You should avoid biting with your front teeth and chew slowly on both sides. Finally, a touch of denture adhesive could give you the confidence you need to eat your favourite meals.
- 4
Q: How often should I visit my denturist?
The Ordre des denturologistes du Québec recommends annual visits. This routine checkup enables your denturist to check your oral health and the state of your dentures. Your denturist will also clean and polish your dentures during this appointment, making them look as good as new! However, if you experience any pain or discomfort, you should consult your denturist immediately to prevent the problem from getting worse.
- 5
Q: I’ve had the same dentures for over five years, and they are still comfortable… why should I change them?
The fact that your prosthesis is still comfortable could actually be misleading as we become used to them. Remember that gum tissue is reabsorbed over time (between 0.5 and 1 mm per year). These changes mean that as the years go by, your dentures will no longer be a good fit.
In the long run, poor denture adhesion can damage and soften your gums. This in turn leads to other problems: chewing problems, difficulty expressing yourself, progressive changes in the shape of your face, etc. Rather than consulting their denturist, some people even hold their prosthesis in when talking because it’s become so big. Denture adhesives can help, but remember, adhesives are only a temporary solution.
Don’t wait until they become uncomfortable or cause you pain to replace your dentures.
- 6
Q: My dentures feel less stable than before… why is this?
There are several factors affecting the stability of a dental prosthesis. The first cause is the resorption of the jaw bones and gums. This is a natural phenomenon, which speeds up when you lose teeth. This results in sunken gums that prevent you from obtaining the level of suction you had when you first had your dentures fitted.
Certain medications could also affect the stability of your dental prosthesis. In fact, some medications result in dry mouth and impair the adherence of your dentures to your gums. Without saliva, your dentures will not stay in place. Dry mouth or a lack of saliva also make swallowing difficult.
Finally, the way that you look after your prosthesis could also be causing the instability. You should avoid using a hard toothbrush and abrasive toothpaste on your dentures. These two elements combined can result in the early wear of your dentures. You should use a soft toothbrush and a gel or one of the foaming products available in the clinic.
- 7
Q: What are relining and rebasing?
These two techniques are effective, but should only be used if the teeth aren’t badly worn. In fact, because your mouth constantly changes, the phenomenon of ill-fitting dentures can reappear many times.
RELINING — If your denture is in good condition and is relatively new, and as long as your gums and jaws have not been reabsorbed too far, your denturist may suggest a relining procedure. This procedure uses an acrylic to fill the gap between your dental prosthesis and your gums. The aim is to adjust your dentures against the new shape of your gums and jaw bones. The position of your teeth and the appearance of your smile won’t change, but you will be more comfortable.
REBASING — A rebasing procedure completely replaces the acrylic of your dental prosthesis and adjusts it to the new shape of your mouth. Your teeth and their original position will remain unchanged, but the structure of your dental prosthesis will be completely changed. Rebasing is usually carried out when the colour of your acrylic has turned orange or for other reasons that are difficult to explain, or because of dark marks that have appeared around the teeth and are difficult to clean.
- 8
Q: What will happen if I don’t wear a partial denture where I am missing teeth?
When you don’t wear a partial denture, the teeth surrounding those missing are used more when chewing. This results in early wear on those teeth, not to mention the fact that they will progressively move towards the empty spaces, which could change the shape of your face in the long run. Chewing and digesting foods will also be more difficult.
- 9
Q: When I smile in the mirror, I can see the prosthetic hooks on my upper partial denture, and I don’t like it… What can you do?
The best solution in this case would be to replace them with nylon hooks, which are a more natural colour and are connected closer to your gums, making them less visible. It’s a small change that could make a big difference to your smile!
- 10
Q: Why should I wear or replace my dentures?
Regardless of the type of prosthesis you choose, whether it’s a complete, partial, standard or precision denture, or a denture on implants, wearing a stable prosthesis that is adjusted to your mouth has several significant advantages:
- it improves the aesthetic look of your face and smile;
- it helps you to chew foods effectively, thereby improving your digestion;
- and it results in better oral-dental health in general.
We’ve noticed that these effects combined give our patients improved self-esteem and bring their smiles back to life!