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What Can You Do to Stabilize Loose Dentures?

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Living with loose dentures can be painful, not to mention embarrassing. But you can do something about loose dentures. If your dentures are loose and making it difficult for you to eat, speak and smile, then you can try one or more of the following approaches to stabilise them.

1. Find a suitable denture adhesive

The simplest way to stabilise loose dentures is to use a denture adhesive. Denture adhesives come in powder, gel, paste and pad form. If you choose to use a denture adhesive to stabilise your loose dentures, then you need to find one that works and is comfortable for you.

Powder and pad adhesives require a little more work than gel and paste adhesives. To prepare powder adhesive, you need to mix the powder with some water, and then apply the solution to your denture. And for pad adhesives, you need to trim down each pad, and then place the sticky side of the pad onto the underside of your denture.

Gel and paste adhesives don't require any preparation beforehand. However, whatever adhesive you do decide to use, you'll need to remove the adhesive before you go to bed at night and clean your dentures thoroughly.

2. Opt for a denture reline

Your dentist or denturist can stabilise your loose dentures with a hard or soft reline. To carry out a reline, dentists place some additional material on the underside of a denture to provide more support and stability. If you have sensitive gums, a soft denture reline is probably more suitable for you than a hard denture reline since soft denture relines use a softer material.

If you do stabilise your denture using a denture reline, remember that soft denture relines only last one to two years, whereas hard denture relines may last several years.

3. Stabilise your dentures with implants

A permanent way to stabilise your dentures is to have a dentist place dental implants into your jaw. A common approach is the all-on-4 denture stabilization technique, which uses four dental implants. With this technique, your dentures can attach directly to the dental implants in your jaw to stabilize your dentures. You can opt for a removable or non-removable denture to implant attachments.

4. Replace your dentures

Oftentimes, dentures are loose because the jawbone has shrunk vertically or horizontally. If this is the cause of your loose dentures, replacing your dentures may be the best approach since jawbone loss is an ongoing process, which means your dentures will loosen even further given time.

Are your dentures loose? Then speak to your dentist about denture relining options. Together, you can decide what is best for you financially and health-wise.


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