I’m having a very hard time with my dentures. It’s the hard plate that is driving me crazy. I need something soft. What options do I have?
Rainey
Dear Rainey,
You’re not the only one to have a hard time with dentures. At the moment, there aren’t any pliable dentures which will actually have the support you need. What some dentists will sell is a soft liner. This helps patients that have a bony ridge. While they are more comfortable, they are more expensive, hard to clean, and need to be replaced often.
If you’re really struggling with your dentures, I’m going to suggest an upgrade. Not only will it help with the uncomfortable feel, but you’ll find your chewing capacity greatly increases. More importantly than all that is it will prevent you from developing facial collapse.
Dentures Lead to Facial Collapse
I don’t know how long you’ve already had your dentures, but once your teeth were removed, your body began resorbing the minerals in your jawbone in an effort to be as efficient as possible with your body’s resources. After about ten or so years, you won’t have enough jawbone left to even support your dentures. This is what is known as facial collapse.
A Good Alternative to Dentures
Instead of dentures alone, you can have what is known as implant-supported dentures. With this procedure, you’ll have between four to six dental implants then your dentures will be anchored to them. You won’t even have to deal with the hard plate because it is the dental implants which support your dentures.
This blog is brought to you by Huntsville Dentist Dr. Steve Murphree.