For many people, adjusting to a new pair of dentures can be difficult alone, but lower dentures can often come with its own challenges.
Unlike upper dentures, dentures for lower teeth don’t have the suction support of the tongue to help hold them in place.
This can often lead to them feeling loose or causing pain and discomfort, which can then heavily impact a patient’s speech and eating habits.
Here at P.Tasker Dental, we look at some of the most common problems with lower dentures and the best denture solutions for lower teeth.
Common challenges with lower dentures
A poor fit: If the denture border length isn’t the correct height and width, it may be difficult for it to seal to your gums. This problem is usually spotted immediately when the dentures are fitted and can be rectified by relining the dentures to fit your gums correctly.
Pain and mouth sores: Pain and mouth sores are to be expected when you first start wearing dentures, but poorly fitted dentures or lack of saliva can exacerbate this problem. The lower jaw is especially susceptible to mouth sores, as dentures for lower teeth don’t have as much support as upper dentures.
Dry mouth: Dry mouth is a common problem with denture wearers and can be a result of certain medications such as decongestants or blood pressure medicine. A dry mouth can cause a lot of pain and discomfort to denture wearers as saliva helps create suction between the denture and gum tissue.
Change in jawbone: Over time jawbone will shrink as it no longer as teeth keeping it in shape. The jawbone naturally shrinks with age, but dentures will accelerate this loss as the dentures place pressure on the bone. The bottom jawbone is especially susceptible to bone loss as it does most of the work when it comes to functioning. A patient with bottom dentures will have to regularly replace them to accommodate this loss.
Best Denture Solutions For Lower Teeth
Implant retained dentures
Implant retained dentures offer a more secure solution than conventional dentures, as they don’t rely solely on suction to stay out and they are the middle ground between the conventional denture that uses adhesive and the more expensive advanced full-arch dental implants.
If a patient has a suitable amount of jawbone left, a dental pro can create a series of small drilled holes in the gums that secure safely on the screws of the fitted denture plate. This procedure, also known as ‘all on 4’ is a great option for those who have trouble keeping their dentures in and eliminates the potential embarrassment of loose dentures.
This type of dentures is removable, and you’ll be able to snap it on and off as many times as needed. This means that cleaning and maintaining the denture is just as easy as a traditional denture.
If you’re having a lot of problems with dentures for lower teeth, implant-retained dentures may be a great solution for you.
Dr Abe Lower suction Dentures
While conventional dentures offer a bulky base that can be heavy and uncomfortable, Dr Abe’s lower suction dentures or ‘Suction Effective Mandibular Complete Denture (SEMCD)’ offers a lighter, more stable material that suctions easily to the bottom gums.
This denture technique was created by Dr Jiro Abe in 1999 and was engineered to utilise the supporting tissues such as tongue, cheek and gums, to help keep the denture in place. Patients who struggle holding conventional dentures usually benefit from suction dentures, with an average 80% of patients finding success with the improved suction method.
Are you having enough with the loose lower denture?
Cant eat properly because your lower denture keeps moving around
or looking for some advice on the best dentures for lower teeth?
Contact us on 07 3483970 or request a callback to find out why your dentures aren’t fitting properly or book a free consultation to hear more about if those two denture procedures are right for you.