The Reasons Dentures Become Loose

In this article we cover the reasons dentures can start to get loose and explore several dental solutions and self-help strategies to regain a secure fit and experience better comfort.

Over Time Dentures Tend to Become Loose

Many denture wearers experience the feeling of their dentures becoming loose. When this starts happening it can start to become annoying and cause difficulties eating and speaking. In the following we’ll cover why and how dentures cab become loose and the available treatments to help you make an informed decision about the direction of your oral health.

Why Dentures Become Loose

Dental prosthetics in general, and partial and permanent dentures in particular, can become loose because of several reasons. Chief among them is because of bone resorption. Bone resorption is the gradual or rapid loss of bone in the jaw. There are several reasons bone resorption occurs but the primary reason is because of tooth loss.

When teeth are missing, the jawbone loses the stimulation it needs to maintain its strength and structure. Over a period of time, this also alters the contours of your gums and jaw and causes dentures to fit less snugly.

There are some natural causes to changes in the gums like aging, and wear and tear of the dentures themselves. The following is a list of the common reasons dentures can become loose:

1. Natural changes in the gums and jaw: the shape of your gums and jaw can change naturally over time, affecting the fit of your dentures.
2. Weight loss: significant weight loss can alter the shape of your facial muscles, including your gums and jaw, which can lead to loose-fitting dentures.
3. Wear and tear: dentures can wear down and lose their shape over time due to regular use, which can affect their comfortable fit.
4. Neglected care: not cleaning dentures properly or allowing them to become dry can cause them to warp and fit poorly.
5. Aging: with aging, the muscles of your mouth can become weaker, making it harder to keep your dentures in place.
6. Ill-fitting dentures: if dentures were not properly fitted to begin with, they might feel loose and uncomfortable.
7. Dry mouth syndrome: sufficient saliva helps keep dentures in place. but conditions that cause dry mouth can lead to loose-fitting dentures.

Making Dentures Fit Properly After Bone Loss

In cosmetic dentistry services, the best treatment options against jawbone loss will depend on your specific needs—the amount of bone loss you have and your overall health are initial factors. After your dentist gives you a thorough examination, they will be able to determine the best treatment plan which may include one or more of the following:

1. Dental implants: dental implants provide a stable foundation for dentures, significantly improving their fit and function more than any other treatment option. They help dentures act like real teeth and allow you to chew with 200% improved efficiency than dentures that are not supported by implants. Denture can either be screwed into the implants (Fixed Implant Denture/All-on-X) or can snap onto attachments on the implants (Implant Supported Overdentures). Both can be removed and cleaned.
2. Relining: this procedure involves reshaping the underside of the denture to make it fit easier against the gums.
3. Rebasing: like relining, but involves replacing the entire base of the denture while keeping the existing denture teeth.
4. Adjustment: your dentist can adjust your dentures to improve their fit, especially if the dentures cause sores in your mouth.
5. Denture repair: if your dentures have broken or cracked, a dentist can often repair them, which can improve their fit.
6. Denture replacement: dentures eventually wear out and no longer fit the same. In this case, having a new set of dentures made can greatly improve comfort and fit.
7. Soft liners: your dentist can add a soft liner to your denture which act like a cushion, and reduces the pressure and irritation caused by the denture.
8. Partial Dentures or Bridges: if you have some natural teeth remaining, partial dentures and bridges can offer better stability compared than just dentures.
9. Bone Grafting or Sinus Lift: these two procedures add new bone to areas where it’s lacking and create a better foundation for the placement of implants or other restorative solutions.
10. Denture adhesives: a short-term fix for loose dentures.
11. Oral exercises: mouth exercises can strengthen your facial muscles and keep the dentures more secure naturally.

How Implants Improve the Fit of Dentures

When it comes to denture stabilization, dental implants are the game-changing treatment.

Think of implants as artificial tooth roots. These artificial teeth preserve your bone structure and provide the necessary stimulation the bone needs to stay healthy and reverse the effects of bone loss.

When it comes to loosened dentures, implants can support full or partial dentures. This results in what we in the dental field call implant-supported dentures, or overdentures. These dentures can either be attached firmly to the implants and act just like your natural teeth and can’t be taken out, or they can be designed to be removable.

Implant-supported dentures provide a huge array of benefits including more natural aesthetics, better speech clarity, maintained facial integrity, improved chewing efficiency, a boost self-confidence, and they eliminate the need for denture adhesives.

By far, the significant enhancement in life quality far exceeds the costs of dental implants and makes them one of the most worthwhile investment for many of my patients with denture issues, bone loss or other major oral concerns.

Reclaim Your Comfort with Properly Fitting Dentures

Effective dental treatments and strategies are available to help you reclaim your oral comfort and the end goal is to ensure you can speak, eat, and smile with confidence.

If you live in Brantford and feel your dentures are loose, visit our dentures services page to see how Dr. Pio Modi DDS, BSc will help make your dentures fit properly and feel more comfortable again.