When to replace your dentures
Investing in dentures is an investment in not only your oral health, but also your well-being for your entire life. Replacing your damaged or missing teeth with a beautiful new smile will not only enable your mouth to perform as it should – it will also boost your confidence.
Once obtained, your dentures will become an essential component of your oral health. They will typically last five to seven years before they need replacing. Much like your natural teeth, dentures will offer the best fit, function and appearance during their first few years, but will gradually wear over time and use. They may also stain and become loose as your mouth shifts around them.
This process is completely natural and to be expected. Your dentures will become loose over years of wear, so don’t worry if you notice this happening. The process is an unavoidable effect of tooth loss, causing your mouth to change over time.
The most common changes are shifting, shrinking and a change of shape in your tissues, gums and even jaw bones. As your mouth alters, gaps can form between your dentures and your gums. This is an unavoidable part of wearing dentures, and certainly nothing to be concerned about.
While you cannot prevent these changes, you can monitor them. Annual appointments with your denturist will keep you informed about the condition of your teeth and help you care for them to prevent any potential problems. Doing so will extend the life of your dentures too. If your denturist finds that your dentures are becoming loose, they can often solve this problem by relining them. Typically this is performed after two or three years of wear and will restore the fit of your dentures.
Relining your dentures will also help to prevent jaw stress, mouth pain and headaches that can be caused by loose fitting dentures.
Generally, however, you should replace your dentures every five to seven years. If you notice issues such as sore and irritated gums, problems with chewing, a change in facial features, pain, or obviously loose dentures, it may be time to replace them. Visit your denturist if you experience any of the above problems.
