Loose Dentures in Rapid City: Reline, Remake or Snap-In Implants?

Published by Orchard Meadows Dental.

If your dentures slip when you eat or talk, you have more options than living with it. Loose dentures can often be relined or rebased, replaced with a new set, or held in place by dental implants. At Orchard Meadows Dental in Rapid City, SD, Dr. Mark Garner and our team help you sort out which of those fits your mouth, your budget and the way you want to live.

Here's what each option involves and how to decide between them.

Why do dentures get loose?

Dentures can feel loose for a few different reasons, and the fix depends on which one you're dealing with. A brand-new denture often feels loose at first while the muscles of your cheeks and tongue learn to keep it in place, and follow-up visits let your dentist check the fit and adjust it, according to the American Dental Association's MouthHealthy guide to dentures.

If you had teeth removed and wore a denture right away, the fit can also change as your jaw heals. MouthHealthy notes that these immediate dentures may need to be relined or remade once healing is done. When a denture stops fitting well, that's the time to call your dentist.

What can you do about loose dentures?

You can have your denture relined or rebased, get a new set made, or add dental implants that hold the denture in place. Dr. Garner puts the full list this way: "You can reline and rebase them, make them new dentures, put implants in, snap them in and out, screw them in."

• Reline or rebase: your current denture is adjusted so it fits your mouth better. It's the smallest step, and a good place to start when the denture itself is in good shape.
• New dentures: a fresh set made for your mouth as it is today, often the answer when an older denture is worn or damaged.
• Snap-in implant dentures: a few implants give your denture something to hold onto. On our dentures page for Rapid City and Spearfish, we describe these as dentures that "snap onto implants instead of floating on your gums." You still snap them out to clean them.
• Fixed full-arch teeth: for qualifying patients, DIEM® Teeth in a Day replaces a full arch with fixed teeth in one streamlined surgical visit.

Should you reline your dentures or switch to implant dentures?

A reline makes sense when your denture is in good shape and the main problem is fit. Implant dentures make sense when you want your denture to stay put and you're a candidate for implant surgery. Dental implants are placed in the jawbone and fuse with it, which gives artificial teeth steady support, and the Mayo Clinic describes implant surgery as an alternative to dentures that don't fit well.

Many denture wearers assume implants are off the table because of what a dentist told them years ago. Dr. Garner sees this often: being told 20 years ago that you weren't a candidate for implants doesn't mean you aren't one now. An exam tells you where you stand today, and our post on who qualifies for dental implants explains what we look at.

How do you choose the right option for your budget?

Start with what you want to be able to do, then compare what each option asks of you. Dr. Garner says patients need to understand the "time involved," the procedure appointments, the "money involved," and what they give up by choosing a different route.

We show you the best treatment first and then talk through the backup plans, because "every backup plan is a compromise in one way or another." The choice is yours. As Dr. Garner tells patients, "it's your mouth and it's your checkbook."

For Dr. Garner, the stakes are comfort and quality of life, like being able to go out to dinner with your family, order a meal and eat it. To help with the money side, our team verifies your insurance benefits before treatment, and we offer financing through CareCredit, an in-house membership plan and phased treatment planning when appropriate.

Why do Rapid City patients choose Orchard Meadows Dental for dentures?

Dentures have been at the heart of our practice for nearly two decades, and it's in our full name: Orchard Meadows Family Dental & Denture Clinic. Dr. Mark Garner, our owner and lead dentist, is a member of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and provides full-arch, same-day implants with DIEM® Teeth in a Day. Whether you're exploring dentures for the first time or you've worn them for years and know something better is possible, we'll lay out every option in plain language.

Dr. Garner is also licensed to administer IV moderate sedation, which is available at our Rapid City dental office for patients who feel nervous about surgery. He's noticed that a fear of surgery and of the unknown keeps some denture wearers where they are. Knowing your options and what each one involves makes the decision feel manageable.

Is a loose or broken denture a dental emergency?

Usually it can wait for regular office hours. Our practice defines a dental emergency as pain, swelling or bleeding. If your denture breaks or loses a tooth and you aren't in pain or bleeding, take it out and come see us when we're open. If you have pain, swelling or bleeding, call us right away.

Tired of dentures that slip? Call (605) 737-3150 or request an appointment at our Rapid City dental office or in Spearfish, SD. We'll check the fit and walk you through every option.

Published by Orchard Meadows Dental.