Hi, I’m Dr. Brett Langston. I’m a prosthodontist and the owner of Dental Implant and Aesthetic Specialists here in Brookhaven, Georgia. Today, we’re going to talk about how long dentures last and what are some signs that you may need to have a new replacement set made.
Expected Lifespan of Dentures
So a custom-made, well-designed denture should last a minimum of five to 10 years, if not longer. Our goal is always to far exceed the national average for insurance reimbursements to replace a denture by about five to seven years. Our goal is to at least triple that and have it last longer. Unfortunately, there are some factors that happen in the body and with materials that sometimes make it inevitable to replace that denture in some patients sooner than in others.
Signs You May Need a Denture Replacement
Loose or Ill-Fitting Dentures
The primary thing to look out for when you need to have your denture replaced is going to be an ill-fitting or loose denture that used to fit really well.
Difficulty Chewing and Pain
You’re having to chew harder and longer to get it to smaller pieces that you can swallow and also pain and discomfort. There’s more than just a minor irritation having something trapped under there. These are all kinds of signs that you need to come see us and let us evaluate your existing denture.
Options Before Full Replacement
Sometimes, it’s even possible if the teeth are worn, but the denture fits really well. We can rebase, which basically means replacing some of those teeth with dentures.
Why Denture Teeth Wear Down
One thing to remember is that the majority of denture teeth are made out of an interpenetrated network of plastic, so it’s like a plastic denture tooth. So as you know, all plastics are going to wear over time.
When Dentures Meet Natural Teeth
The dentures that tend to wear a lot quicker are when you have a denture against natural teeth.
So natural teeth that enamel or even crown of bridge work that porcelain, they’re going to be really hard substrate and they’re really going to rub against those denture teeth. And in that battle of natural tooth versus plastic tooth, the plastic tooth is going to wear at a pretty significant rate, which is good because you don’t want to wear your natural teeth down, but it’s bad because those dentures are going to start to wear and those teeth are going to get worn down and need replacing.
Changes in Fit Due to Weight Fluctuations
Another reason to have to replace your denture is if all of a sudden the denture doesn’t fit anymore. Now, this can be for a variety of reasons.
Weight Loss or Gain Effects
One thing that often surprises a lot of patients is if they lose a lot of weight or gain a lot of weight, that happens to have a correspondence to the mouth as well.
The oral tissues will kind of go along with the body. And so if you lose 40 to 50 pounds, that’s great, but unfortunately, the tissue in your mouth is going to change, obviously not to the same extent as the rest of your body, but it’s not going to be the same surface. And so that intimate contact of that internal surface of the denture is not going to fit as closely and provide that comfort, snug and suction and seal.
Solution: Denture Reline
And that’s the situation where the teeth are still great and the bite is good, everything else is perfect. A lot of times you can do what’s called a reline, which is basically where we kind of fill all those nooks and crannies on the inside of your denture with a new kind of layer of acrylic, and that buys a lot of time with the denture.
Bone Remodeling with Age
Something to think about too is over time, just in general as we age, the bone just remodels and reshapes.
Upper Jaw vs Lower Jaw
A lot of times the upper jaw is actually part of your skull, so there’s not a lot of remodeling there. It’s pretty stable. But the lower jaw, the mandible is a freestanding bone and unfortunately it actually resorbs at a rate of about four times the top jaw.
Why Bottom Dentures Get Loose
And so usually what we see is someone who’s had a set of dentures for 10, 15, 20 years, sometimes that top denture fits great, great suction, great seal, everything’s good, but the bottom one is flopping around. And that’s just because that bone and tissue has a different profile.
In that situation, like I said before, those teeth are healthy, the bite is good, and everything else is great. We can just do a simple reline and basically make that denture fit like new again.
Material Quality and Longevity
So another thing that’s going to affect the lifespan of that denture is actually coming out of the quality of materials used in the denture.
Better Materials Last Longer
So the quality of materials used in the denture plays a major role in longevity. And what I mean by that is a denture is made up of the base, which is the pink, which is the gum, and the support. That’s an acrylic and the acrylics have come a long way. So the materials are designed to last longer and be more durable. And also there’s microbial resistance built into a lot of the higher quality denture materials now.
Low-Quality Labs = Shorter Lifespan
So if you’re using cheaper materials or if you’re utilizing a lab that kind of cuts corners and uses a lesser quality material, obviously those are going to break down quicker and the overall lifespan of that denture is going to be a lot shorter.
Design and Function Matter
In addition to the quality of the materials, the design and function of the denture are important.
Risks of Poor Design
If you make a denture that’s too thinned out or you try and have a bite that’s not appropriately supported by the musculature of the mouth and the soft tissue, you’re kind of setting that denture up for failure because you’re putting cantilevered forces on there and that’s going to cause a denture to break.
Accidents Happen: Dropping Dentures
Another common cause of denture failure and errors is, believe it or not, when people drop it into the sink. And that may sound like something that doesn’t happen a lot, but it’s actually really common.
Pro Tip: Towel in the Sink
So one of the things we tell our patients is when you’re cleaning out your dentures, put a washcloth or a towel on the sink because every time I’ve ever seen denture versus porcelain sink, the sink always wins and sometimes it’s just a minor chip off the tooth and we can smooth it.
Sometimes it breaks the whole tooth off and that’s a lab repair. Sometimes it can break the denture in half, which could either be catastrophic for the denture and we have to start all over, or it’s going to be a major repair and you’re going to be without that denture for a while.
Importance of Home Care
The final factor that really plays a major role in how long a denture lasts is home care.
Keep Them Clean
By not adequately cleaning your dentures every night or even in between meals, you run the risk of leaving a film of bacteria and plaque. And that can also lead to infections, fungal infections, other things that are really not healthy in your mouth.
So, if you take really good care of your dentures, clean them every night, and store them in the right environment, you can get a long life out of them.
Do You Still Need to See the Dentist?
So one of the questions I get from patients is, now that I have dentures, do I still need to come see you?
And the answer is yes, absolutely.
Annual Checkups Are Important
Well, you don’t need to come every six months. In our practice, we like to see our denture patients once a year. It’s multiple reasons why.
Number one, we can check your soft tissue, oral cancer screening, make sure there’s no infection, make sure everything is nice and healthy.
We also like to check the bone and the tissue just to make sure everything is nice and healthy, but also allows us to professionally clean and inspect your denture times. If we catch a small crack or we catch something going on, we can fix it with a very minimal solution.
This also allows us to make sure that it’s fitting properly and it’s giving you the proper support and ability to chew and function.
Denture Cleaners: Brand Doesn’t Matter
So there are lots of brands out there that claim they’re the only denture cleaner, they’re the only material to use for me.
As long as you’re doing a good job of keeping ’em clean, keeping your mouth clean, and coming to see us on a regular basis to check and make sure everything fits well. That’s the most important thing to get the most longevity out of your dentures.
Closing Thoughts
If you’re looking for a new home to help you take care of your dentures and make them last longer, come see us. I’m Dr. Brett Langton. I’m here to help you watch your mouth.
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