Just how long your dentures will last before they need to be replaced depends on several factors. Those factors include your lifestyle, how well you maintain your dentures and the rate at which your gums and jaw change shape and size. This variability is reflected in the reported lifespans of dentures in the dental literature. In some instances, you’ll see predictions that dentures will last a decade or 15 years, while other sources project only seven to 10 years before dentures near you need to be replaced.
Even before a set of dentures needs to be replaced, though, dentures in Los Angeles may need to be relined. The purpose of this article is to consider why dentures need to be relined, just what relining means and accomplishes, and what signs you should watch for to identify when to reline your dentures.
What is relining and why is it important?
The longer you live without teeth and, more importantly, teeth roots to stimulate bone growth in your jaw, the more bone mass and density you will lose in your jaw. As your jaws change, the shape of your gums change. Those changes in shape inevitably produce gaps between the underside of your denture and the surface of your gums. Relining a denture involves resurfacing the underside of your denture to fill those gaps. A periodontist in Los Angeles will fill those gaps to allow the denture to fit better without rubbing and producing sores or unequal distributions of pressure along your gums.
How to know your dentures need relining
There are three primary indications that it may be time to reline your dentures.
If your dentures are loose or feel as if they are moving when you chew and talk, contact a periodontist near you to have them examined. Those are indications that they aren’t fitting properly along your gums due to changes in their shape.
If you’re experiencing prolonged discomfort or notice any sores or infection, relining may provide some relief. Beyond merely relining your dentures, though, ask your periodontist to closely examine your gums and to prescribe antibiotics to address any infection present.
If it’s been more than two years since your dentures were last relined, take them to a periodontist near you to have them relined again. Two years is more than enough time for your gums and jaw bone structure to change sufficiently so that your dentures no longer fit and feel as they should. There’s no point waiting until your dentures feel loose or cause sores or infection before having your dentures relined.
At some point, of course, dentures need to be replaced and relining won’t prolong their life any further. Stained dentures can sometimes be cleaned to buy them some more life from a cosmetic perspective. If your dentures are chipped, cracked, warped or broken, though, they should not merely be relined or repaired but replaced with a new set. Even if you are not noticing any adverse effects from your aging dentures, once they celebrate their fifth anniversary, take them to a periodontist in Los Angeles and ask for a thorough assessment of their condition and an estimate of their remaining life. Even if they have some years left in them, that assessment will give you an opportunity to plan and prepare to replace them when the time comes.