|
New Dentures |
| When Should You
Replace Your Dentures? |
| Dentures have a useful life of
about five years. However, your denturist is the most |
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|
| qualified person to tell you when
they need replacing. An annual consultation to have |
| your prosthesis checked and
cleaned can prevent many problems among them the bad |
| habits that denture wearers
develop and that require adjustments, a new base or reline |
| or even complete replacement. |
|
| The following are
signs that your prosthesis needs attention: |
| - It does not adhere
to your gums as well as it used to; |
| - It is loose, does
not cut food well; |
| - Makes your face
look older; |
| - Causes discomfort
or pain. |
| Not to mention all
the other signs that only your denturist would notice. |
|
| Since your denturist constructs
your prosthesis themselves he or she actually minimizes the impact of such
changes. |
| Thus, when
replacement is indicated, your denturist makes sure that your new dentures
conform to the changes that |
| your face has
undergone over time. All new dentures require an adjustment period which is
entirely normal. Your denturist |
| can give you tips on how to shorten this adjustment period and
make it easier. |
|
| Remember
that wearing dentures that are 10 or 15 years old inevitably causes changes
in your mouth that are often |
| irreversible. The
longer you delay replacing your dentures, the more your appearance and your
comfort will be affected, |
| often gradually and
without really noticing. When was the last time you saw your denturist?
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|
AGING DENTURES |
| If you have
been wearing the same dental prosthesis for more than five years without
having it checked by your denturist, |
| you are running
unnecessary risks. Too many people believe that dentures are good for 20
years - nothing could be |
| further from the
truth! The removable prosthesis is made of a hard, rigid material. Your
face, mouth and jaw, on the other |
| |
|
hand, change over the years.
Because it cannot adapt to these changes and because artificial |
|
teeth wear down with time, a
prosthesis cannot do its job effectively for more than about five years.
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This reality can have devastating
consequences, that are often invisible and imperceptible to the |
|
wearer of a worn-out denture.
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Here is a short list of the most
harmful possible effects suffered by wearers of prosthesis more than
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|
five years old:
|
| -
softening of the gum, painful, irritated gum; |
| -
more laborious chewing and more difficult digestion; |
| - headaches, ear aches,
neck pain and joint problems; |
| - crumpled mouth and
prematurely aged face; |
| -
accelerated resorption of the gum; . . . .
and this is only a partial list! |
|
| Very few
people maintain their prosthesis properly. Some even neglect to remove it to
rest the mouth daily. Don't take |
| chances with your
health! See your denturist annually. When was the last time you
saw your denturist? |
|
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|
MAINTAINING YOUR DENTURES |
| Soft Liners for
Sensitive Ridges |
| Sore Gums? Opt for a
soft base. You have been feeling pain in your gums for some time. Your
denture hurts, even |
| though it has been
meticulously adjusted. You can't see anything wrong except that, with time
your gum has grown |
| thinner and its shape
is more pointed. You have also noticed that your dental prosthesis is
becoming increasingly loose |
| and uncomfortable.
This is a phenomenon known as "gum resorption". Fortunately, there is a type
of prosthesis that can |
| solve these problems:
the soft based denture. |
|
| Used mainly for lower
dentures, the soft base is a liner that is built into your prosthesis. Being
more porous, the soft base |
| adheres better to
whatever remains of your gum, gives your denture more stability, and is less
of an irritant to your |
| mucous membranes.
When constructing your prosthesis, your denturist will install the soft
base and then "bake" it onto |
| the inside of the
denture. |
|
| The soft
base will not halt the resorption of your gum, whose shape and thickness are
constantly changing. To ensure |
| that your new soft
base denture provides continued support as time goes by, you should have
them checked every year |
| and replaced when
necessary. This will extend the health of your gum as well as ensure
maximum adherence. |
| Because of its porous
texture, the soft base is not an easy material to clean. An annual
examination therefore will also |
| prevent hygiene
problems. The denturist will be able to recommend some effective cleaning
products. |
|
| Denture Relines
(Same Day) |
| The denture you are
wearing was made and adjusted to fit your mouth at a particular time in your
life. With the passing |
| years your mouth
changes considerably even as your dentures wear out. This is why your denturist recommends that |
| you have the fit of
your denture checked every year to ensure its continued effectiveness and
aesthetic appearance, as |
| well as your greater
well-being. If proper maintenance and fit of your denture isn't maintained,
the body may produce |
| hyperplasia (excess
tissue) to compensate for improper fit leaving a poor foundation to reline
or reconstruct a new |
| denture. |
|
| Denture Repairs |
| If your denture
is cracked, missing a tooth or needs an adjustment, this can be done while
you wait. |
|
| Cleaning Your
Dentures |
| Plaque is invisible
bacteria film that forms, not only on natural teeth, but on dentures as
well. Once it hardens, plaque |
| turns into calculus,
which is an open invitation to bacteria, irritations, gum disease, digestive
problems, bacteria |
| stomatitis, to
name but a few of the harmful consequences of inadequate denture hygiene. To
maintain your oral health, |
| maximize your comfort
and meet your aesthetic requirements, here is some timely advice from your
denturist on |
| the regular
maintenance of partial and complete dentures, as well as overdentures
on implants. |
|
| Brushing |
| |
|
The ideal denture brush has soft
bristles and can reach every crevice in your denture. For |
|
cleaning, a gel, non-abrasive
paste or a mild soap are all appropriate. After every meal, gently
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|
brush your denture over its entire surface,
paying special attention to the interproximal spaces
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|
and to the areas that come in
contact with your gums. Brushing too vigorously, using an abrasive
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|
paste, or a brush with hard
bristles each bring their own problems. The dulling of your artificial
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|
teeth, premature wear and tear of
your dentures, or thinning of the acrylic lining which affects the
|
| fit of your
dentures. An acrylic surface that has been scratched by an abrasive
substance easily absorb saliva, which
|
| carries food
particles that cause stains. The result: denture maintenance is much more
difficult. It is also recommended
|
| that you gently brush your tongue, gums and
the roof of your mouth with a moistened, soft-bristle brush. This
daily one- |
| minute massage stimulates your
circulation and tones your gum tissue, while ridding your mouth of bacteria. |
|
| Always brush your dentures over a sink full of water, or a sink lined
with a facecloth or towel. This way, if you happen |
| to drop you denture,
the impact will be considerably lessened. |
|
| Rinsing |
| Always rinse your
denture thoroughly under warm water before putting it back in your mouth or
before soaking it. Making |
| this habit will save
you from swallowing any cleaning solution, as well as from contaminating
your soaking solution. It is |
| also recommended that
you rinse your mouth frequently to rid it of proliferating bacteria. This
also helps keep your breath |
| fresher longer. What
is more, rinsing your mouth with salt water can have an appreciable
therapeutic effect. |
|
| Polishing |
| Polishing is a
professional technique employed by your denturist to make your denture look
like new. Using specialized |
| buffing tools, your
denturist restores the glossy finish of your denture, while eliminating the
tough stains that elude regular |
| maintenance. An
economical step that takes just a few minutes, polishing is recommended once
or twice a year, as |
| needed. |
|
| Soaking |
| |
|
Prolonged exposure of your
dentures to the air can discolour it and dry out the acrylic, making it more
|
|
brittle. When you remove your
denture for the night, keep it in a covered container, filled with warm
water |
|
or a special soaking solution.
Never use bleach to clean or soak your denture. It can weaken the
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|
structure of the denture
and discolour the acrylic. In any case, bleach will not work as a
whitening |
|
agent, since the colour of
artificial teeth is integrated. |
|
|
|
For more advice on maintaining
your prosthesis,
contact us. |
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| COMMON
QUESTIONS A word from your local Registered
Denturist, David M. Fortunat |
| We often receive phone calls from inquiring clients
asking: |
| - How much does it cost for a complete set of dentures?
|
| - How much does it cost for a reline? |
| - How much does it cost for a rebase? How about a repair,
or a soft liner? |
| - How much does it cost to get my name engraved in my
denture? |
| - Why are they so expensive? |
| - Can we make partial dentures? |
|
| We encourage our potential clients when
calling around for estimates, to ask a few more questions than just "What's
|
| the price?" The following are a few more questions to ask
a denturist when calling for a price. |
|
| - How many appointments will I need until my dentures are
completed? (The answer should be 5-7 for a full set, and 4-5 |
| for a single denture.) |
| - What kind of acrylic do you use? What kind of teeth do
you use? |
| - What method do you use to make your teeth? The
following are four of the most common methods: |
|
| Pour Technique: uses self-curing acrylic which
means it is cured partially sitting on the counter and finishes curing in a
|
| pressure pot with warm water at 30 lbs. of pressure.
|
| Heat Cured Invested Packing Technique: uses stone
to invest, is boiled out and then is packed with heat cured acrylic at
|
| 3000 lbs/psi then is heat cured in an aqualizer water
bath at 163*F for 9 hours. (Temperature and curing procedure |
| depends on brand of acrylic.) |
| Microwave Technique: uses a microwave cured
acrylic, the process is much like the Heat Cured Invested Packing
|
| technique except uses the microwave to cure the acrylic
instead of the aqualizer water bath. |
| Injected Technique: uses heat cured acrylic which
is injected instead of packed and then heat cured. |
|
| Denturists can now legally make partial dentures, after
they have successfully completed the requirements set out by the
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|
Province of British Columbia. |
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|
Fee Guide |
| All denturists are governed by the
College of Denturists
of British Columbia. Membership to the |
|
Denturist Association
of BC is voluntary. The Government has produced an Act,
"Health Professionals Act - Bylaws and |
| Policies", which all denturists must abide by. A fee guide is developed by the
Denturist Association of B.C. with minimum |
| rates denturists should charge and it is
recommeded that we all follow this fee guide. Our code of ethics state,
"members |
| must not decrease fees to any particular
patient because that patient has a dental plan or similar third party
coverage, or |
| for any like reason. (Page 3:I Code of Ethics)
Some Denturists offer a 3 tier system in which the client may
choose the teeth |
| they would like, depending on the quality. The price should be a reflection of the
quality of teeth provided. |
|
| The purpose for denturism is to offer a
specialized service to the public at an affordable price. Dentures are not
|
| expensive when compared to other expenditures we incur
annually, monthly, or even weekly such as car insurance; food |
| costs; cosmetics; pet expenses; life, disability, fire,
theft, and home insurances; entertainment, property taxes, etc. |
| If you cannot afford to pay for a new denture, ask your denturist if he/she offers a payment plan. A good set of dentures
|
| aids your nourishment and therefore gives you a higher
quality of life. You are WORTH IT! |
|
| For a free consultation contact
Fortunat Denture
Clinic at 768-8857. All plans accepted. |
| Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Saturdays and Evenings by appointment. |
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