Many people come to us after they’ve had nightmare denture experiences at other offices. After we figure out what they hate about their new dentures, we can help them find the right solutions. Typically people who hate their new dentures hate one of three things. They hate how they look. They hate how they fit. Or it’s a combination of both of these things that they hate. If you hate your new dentures, keep reading to figure out what to do!
What Can You Do When You Hate How Your Dentures Look?
If Your Dentures Are Just Ugly…
I became passionate about making lifelike, beautiful dentures after walking with a loved one through losing his teeth. I wasn’t a dentist yet and I saw how traumatic it was for him to give up his natural teeth for dentures that looked and felt so fake to him. This transition is particularly hard for people who lose their teeth because of periodontal disease. When someone has advanced gum disease, their teeth fall out when they are still healthy and nice looking. Switching from pretty nice looking teeth to plastic looking teeth feels horrible. Walking with my own dad through that transition, I decided I would only make lifelike dentures. People shouldn’t lose their teeth and their smile.
If Your Dentures Look Too Big…
Whether it is the denture teeth that look too big or the whole denture that was made too big for your mouth, a denture that looks too big typically needs to be remade. Every once in a while we can find another way to fix it; however, when the actual design of the base is too large, remaking it is the only option.
If Your Dentures Look Fake…
This is a big one. People get their natural teeth pulled and know that the denture can be made to look like any smile in the world. Their disappointment when the denture looks like a denture is horrible! This happens most frequently with cheap dentures because they use cheap, opaque teeth that look like pieces of Chiclet gum. Sometimes we can get the teeth replaced with better ones that look real. Other times, the entire denture needs to be remade because the gums look fake as well.
If Your Dentures Look Messy…
Last week a lady brought me a new denture that had been relined in a hurry and had sloppy reline goo dried all over the outside of the denture. Yuck! What a mess! Sometimes the denture can be relined and re-polished and that alone will fix the mess. It really just depends on what makes the denture look messy. If you’re sitting here thinking, I hate my dentures! What can I do to fix all of those things??? It is probably time to consider getting your denture remade.
At our office that starts with a free consultation where we can discuss what you hate and what you want from your next denture. This step is vitally important to creating a new set of dentures that you love!
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What Can You Do When You Hate How Your Dentures Fit?
If they are loose…
- Loose dentures are miserable! You have to make weird face movements to keep them in place. They shift when you talk. They shift when you chew. It is humiliating! You have a couple of options to improve or fix loose dentures. The cheapest option is trying denture adhesive.
- Next, a denture reline gives the denture a whole new fit. In the first six months of having your denture, you should expect to need 2-3 soft relines to keep your denture fitting comfortably.
- Finally, when a new denture is loose after the 6 month mark, it’s time to consider having it remade or adding implants to it. Dental implants are the only permanent solution for a loose denture and for minimizing facial collapse. Converting your existing teeth into an implant overdentures will create stability and greatly enhance your quality of life
If they cause dentures sores…
Dentures sores are the best worst kind of problem. The worst because they hurt. But the best because they’re easy to fix. Dentures sores happen because of high spots, uneven pressure, rubbing or yeast infections. These things can all be fixed fairly easily with an adjustment or with treatment for a yeast infection. They may hurt, but easy to fix is good!
If they hurt the floor of your mouth…
This happens when your dentist was trying to give you a lower full denture with as much grip as possible. He meant well, but as you use it, the denture is pushing into the floor of your mouth more than he thought it would.
Tell him that your denture hurts and get it adjusted.
Easy fix – Yay! Read this blog to learn more about lower denture specific problems and solutions.
If they rock when you chew…
Dentures that rock are not cool. When they rock either the bite is off or they are too loose. Fixing an imbalanced bite requires either an adjustment or new teeth. It depends on how imbalanced the bite is.
If they won’t stay in…
New full dentures that won’t stay in either need a reline, need to be remade or they need implants. Here’s what’s going on. After your teeth are removed, your bone starts to shrink. Naturally, your denture becomes a bit too big. If the shrinkage is minor, a reline will fix it.
If there’s a ton of bone loss OR if the denture was too big to begin with, you’ll need a new denture if you want it to stay in. When you know that your denture matches your mouth well and isn’t too big, but it STILL FALLS OUT, your bone shape is the problem and you need implants if you want your denture to sit still.
But what if your dentures are stuck???? Check out this blog post for solutions!
Great Denture Fit Doesn’t Happen for the Shy
As the patient, you play a key role in helping your dentist design your denture well. He can see what the denture is doing; however, he cannot feel what you feel. If you want the best denture possible, you can’t be shy about what you feel in your mouth. There is no such thing as over-communication in the denture process.
Not everything you notice will be critically important, but it all helps to hone in on the way your mouth functions. If you hate your new denture, it’s possible that all you need to do is go back to your dentist and let him know what you’re feeling. Some degree of discomfort is part of perfecting the design.
What If I Hate How My Denture Looks and How it Feels?
Well… you may have gotten a lemon denture. On the other hand, if it was a cheap denture, then I’m not surprised you don’t like it. Cheap denture dentists make dentures in a big hurry. They skip steps and use cheap materials and expect you to be grateful to have something like teeth in your mouth.
This conversation started with you saying “I hate my new dentures! What can I do?” I always advise starting by going back to the dentist who made them, explaining what you hate and asking for help. Sometimes the dentist simply doesn’t realize what you’re seeing or feeling and the fix is easy and included in your original price. Other times, what you got is what you paid for and he won’t give you any more.
If adjustments aren’t helping, it is probably time to look at getting your dentures remade. Read our guide on “Where to get dentures” to learn more about the types of dentures and denture clinics and how to find one that will be a good match for your needs and your budget. The majority of people who end up hating their new dentures, come from certain types of clinics. Getting a denture you love requires finding a clinic that makes your kind of denture.
Would you like to see what our patients in San Antonio have to say about their experiences. Check out these videos!
I you’re wondering what can be done for dentures that don’t fit well, check out this blog!
