Relines, Additions and Repairs to Dentures

Relines

There are usually 2 reasons for replacing old dentures, the first is that the teeth have worn out and the second is that they no longer fit due to the gum shrinkage.

We would often not replace dentures if they are just loose , it is easily possible to resurface a denture, known as relining, if the teeth themselves are not worn out. This process usually takes a couple of hours.

Additions

It is possible to add teeth to an old denture to fill in the gaps when a person has lost their own teeth. Adding teeth to an existing plate usually takes about 90 minutes. Once the gums have shrunk following extraction, which takes about 4-6 months, then relining the denture is recommended to restore its fit.

Repair

The majority of denture repairs can be completed within an hour, providing the parts go back together correctly and have not been glued by the patient, however if a denture fractures whilst in use it is often the case that the plate no longer fits properly and is flexing under tension causing it to fracture, and once repaired it is likely to break again because the reason for it cracking is still there, it's poor fit . Often if a patient has a history of breaking dentures then a metal palate or insert may be the answer.