How To Prevent Denture Slippage

Slippage is a common problem for those who wear dentures. It's easy enough to correct, but it certainly needs to be corrected to ensure both your comfort and the functionality of your dentures. While your dentures will need occasional attention in order to maintain their stability in your mouth, continual slippage can require a more decisive solution. So what are your options when your dentures begin to slip inside your mouth?

Adhesive

Anyone who wears dentures should have some denture adhesive on hand. This helps to secure your dentures, but it should only be a temporary solution, as needed. It's a sign that your dentures need more thorough attention, although an adhesive will at least give you some short-term relief.

Relining

Denture relining is a more thorough form of attention, and can easily be performed at any denture clinic in your local area. As you age, the contours of your mouth will subtly change, and while this is invisible to the eye, it's not invisible to the mouth. Relining modifies the denture plate (the acrylic base) to ensure the best fit. There are two forms of relining:

1. A hard reline involves a new mold being taken of your mouth, highlighting its contours and irregularities. The denture base is then reshaped using this mold as a template. A hard reline often takes place offsite, and you might be waiting several days (or weeks) for the work to be finished.
2. A soft reline can be performed at a denture clinic while you wait. It involves the addition of a soft, pliable resin to the denture plate in order to create the best possible fit.

Denture relines are sufficient for most instances of slippage, but what about when slippage is a consistent problem for you, even if your dentures have been relined in the not-too-distant past?

Clasps

When relining proves to be insufficient to stabilize your dentures, you should talk to your dentist about precision clasps. These are discreet (generally tooth-colored) clasps that connect your dentures to your natural teeth. The clasps can be unfastened at home, so your dentures are still classed as removable. In order for the clasp to be soldered to your existing teeth without damaging them, dental crowns are generally required. This creates a durable porcelain outer casing for these teeth, allowing them to act as abutment teeth. The clasp is then attached to the dental crown without compromising the underlying natural tooth. 

For most people, an occasional reline will be perfectly adequate to prevent denture slippage. But when it becomes a consistent problem, you may well benefit from having precision clasps added to your dentures and natural teeth.

To learn more, contact a denture clinic in your area.