Patients With Complete Dentures

By Jung S Pak, DDS

Fairfax Dental Care

. http://www.fairfaxdentalcenter.com/

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Patients With Complete Dentures

Many patients who wear full (complete) dentures believe that because they do not have any teeth, they do not have to go for regular exams and only visit the dentist when something happens to their prosthesis. This is far from the truth.

The alveolar bone that supports and holds the teeth in place is resorbed two millimeters in every dimension within the first years after extraction and 0.2 millimeters per year after that. When it is said, it does not seem to be a big deal.

However, when we think that this resorption is happening in every plane of the bone your bone is being resorbed two millimeters from the front, back, and top It becomes a big concern. This is why after a number of years your prosthesis becomes loose, especially the mandibular (lower or bottom) dentures.

Maxillary (top or upper) dentures act like a suction cup and offer a broader surface to support the prosthesis. This is very different from the mandibular dentures where the lower jaw (mandible) has far less surface area and bony features to properly support and retain the prosthesis.

Because of this, mandibular resorption rate is slightly higher that of the maxilla. However, this obstacle can be overcome by including implants in the treatment plan by making an implant supported mandibular prosthesis.

As a final note, here is some advice on how to take care of your dentures. Brush them after every meal. Brushing with a regular tooth brush can be used, though a denture brush is preferred.

Take them out every night and placed them into a denture cup in regular cold tap water. Do not ever go to bed wearing your prosthesis unless instructed to do so by your dentist. This is analogous to going to bed with your shoes on. Doing so would increase your chances of acquiring a fungal infection in your mouth, like athlete's foot if you sleep with your shoes on.