Reline INFO

 

 

 

Denture and Partial Reline Materials we use exclusively at Express Denture Care!

 

So just what is a denture “Reline” and why does the quality of material used such an important factor? Let’s begin with some basics first, at the time you get a denture one must always remember that the base of the prosthesis is an exact duplicate of the current tissue/bone conditions at that specific point in time. This means that as we age time wears away at the underlying bone structure of either the Upper or Lower arch which causes less and less surface area for the denture to grasp around. Another thing that happens is that as the bone wears away from loose fitting dentures and/or normal use, the tissue remains on the surface leaving an unstable foundation for the denture to sit on.

 

The two main factors that must be maintained in order to provide years and years of successful denture wearing for the patient are:

 

            1.) Constant fit of the denture around the arch so as to minimize looseness or wiggle room in the base of the denture which accelerates the bone loss phenomenon.

 

            2.) Proper surface biting area between the dentures or denture with natural teeth on the opposing side.

 

To do this a denture must be relined with either a hard based acrylic material or a soft-silicone based material depending on the situation.

 

HARD vs. SOFT Relines:

 

A hard reline is your traditional type of reline where you have material filled into your current denture that is exactly the same material that your denture was made from. This basically adds a more denture material to areas that are needed so that you will have not only an updated denture base but also a solid foundation that will not rock and shift with normal use. This procedure at Express Denture Care usually is completed within 1 day with an appointment in the morning then pick up 4-6 hrs later. Many factors go into deciding on if a hard reline is necessary of if a soft reline is better.

 

Soft relines are typically used in cases where a patient may have a situation that involves a semi-permanent liner imbedded into the hard base of a denture to allow for reduced trauma to the underlying bone structure as well as maximizing overall comfort. We use soft-silicone based materials to ensure that no bacterial growth occurs and so the patient can enjoy more flexibility if he/she has sensitive areas the denture base needs to cover.

 

After the denture has been relined a few times during its life, eventually the teeth will be worn out to a point where the dentures integral properties become compromised and replacement is inevitable. Depending on what type of teeth are used and how well they were taken care of over the years of use will determine how often a denture may need to be replaced. There are over 30 different manufactures that make over 120 qualities of teeth so the next time you’re getting a denture made make sure to find out what teeth were used as this dramatically determines how long the teeth will last.

 

At Express Denture Care we use the very top of the line denture teeth in all our brands of dentures and that includes our economy dentures.

 

DENTURE MYTH’S

 

1.) “All dentures that are made correctly should fit with superior suction and should never need relines.”

            Part of this myth is true to a point and the rest is pure opinions based on individual case-by-case experience from a denture wearer. The primary aspect that must first be understood is that “NO two people have the same oral structures” meaning one person may have outstanding dense bone structure for a denture to grasp around which attains superior “suction” of the denture base while another person may have a bone structure that is very minimal in size and contour thus resulting in a not so snug fitting denture.

 

Fluctuations in our body due to many factors such as stress, age, weight gain/loss can impede the overall fit of the base of the denture along with just normal every day wear.  Relines are needed after a few years of use just too literally UPDATE the denture base to what internal bone structure you have remaining at the present time. Depending on the individual person physiology, relines may need to be more frequent so as to maintain a proper base for the denture to be seated and to minimize the loss of precious bone structure. Research has shown that women over the ages of 55 are more susceptible to bone loss due to bone density loss, osteoporosis and  post menopause symptoms thus making a proper fitting denture that much  more vital.

 

            *REMEMBER – A denture reline is vital to ensure that bone loss is minimized and dentures can be worn successfully for years to come. If a denture is loose for more than 30 days please schedule an appointment as a denture reline may be needed.*

 

2.) “My dentures have worked just fine for over 20 years and they have never needed to be relined or replaced because my doctor did such a substantial job on them”

 

            While there is no doubt that the doctor did a great job on the dentures of those who’ve worn them for 10+ years, what is totally missed in these scenarios is the fact that a denture is not made to last for decades without replacement or fail. Years ago, practitioners used to make dentures out of pure porcelain teeth because that was the dental material commonly used at the time. While these types of teeth are very long lasting and look very natural, they have been proven to dramatically decrease the underlying bone structure due to the major stress exerted during normal biting and chewing of food.

 

Today, advanced materials have allowed providers to give patients a tooth that is “softer” during mastication (chewing) that will look just as natural while at the same time offering the patient a solution to minimize the eventual bone loss that commonly occurs. For over 20+ years dentures have used teeth that are made of advanced composite plastics but in an attempt to minimize the trauma to the bone structure the downside is the teeth wear down just like a CAR TIRE wears down after so many miles. This means that just like a CAR TIRE the dentures need to be replaced so that the persons bite relation is maintained.

 

Without this replacement the patient will begin to suffer from not only rapid bone loss but also may have symptomatic problems with the jaw or “TMJ – Temporomandibular Joint”. When a patient is present with a denture that has teeth that is worn to the point that the contours of the plastic teeth are gone is called a “Collapsed Bite”. This not only makes chewing food that much harder for the denture wearer but it causes much unnecessary strain on the TMJ. Worn dentures also cause many cosmetic imperfections to the patient such as smushed lips, a pointy chin and wrinkles around the corners and top of the lip.

 

Here is a perfect example of what things look like for a denture wearer with worn out and improper fitting dentures. The set of dentures on the left are over 10 yrs old and the dentures on the right are a brand new set.