Are you one of the millions who have loose dentures? Nearly 1 in 7 people suffer from tooth loss and are fitted for dentures yearly. Poorly-fitting dentures are one of the most common reasons people visit their denturist, so it’s essential to understand why they may become loose in the first place. In this blog, we will discuss three possible causes for your loose dentures.
Signs Your Dentures Are Becoming Loose
If your dentures are starting to get wobbly, you will likely experience some of these signs and symptoms:
- Difficulty speaking – you may have trouble forming words, or your speech could become slurred.
- Painful sores on the gums – loose dentures can cause discomfort and bruising in the mouth.
- Food getting stuck between teeth – food particles can be trapped behind or around ill-fitting dentures.
- Changes in bite alignment – when dentures do not fit correctly, they will not provide adequate support for your jaw, leading to changes in how your upper and lower jaws meet.
- Looseness of teeth in the mouth – as time passes, you may notice more looseness of individual teeth within the denture.
You should see your denturist immediately if you notice any of these signs. If not corrected, poorly fitting dentures can cause:
- Painful sores and irritation in the mouth
- A build-up of bacteria around the gum line
- Bleeding gums
The sooner you seek advice from a dental professional, the sooner you’ll smile and eat comfortably! Now, let’s explore why your dentures may feel wobbly.
1. Inflammation Goes Away Over Time
Inflammation is our body’s natural healing process, causing swelling after an injury or trauma to the tissue. The problem is, when it comes to dentures, this can cause your fitting to be less snug when the swelling recedes.
After having dental work done and receiving new dentures, it’s standard that after a certain amount of time passes, they will start to loosen up and become uncomfortable. Your denturist will be able to adjust your dentures during this time so that they fit correctly again.
If you feel like your denture isn’t fitting right, schedule an appointment with them right away so that you don’t suffer from any further discomfort or pain caused by ill-fitting teeth.
2. Bone Resorption Causes Loose Dentures
Bone resorption is a natural process in which the body breaks down and reabsorbs bone tissue. This occurs as part of your body’s routine maintenance but can also be caused by factors such as tooth loss or periodontal disease.
When bone resorption happens in the jawbone, it can weaken the foundation that holds dentures in place, causing them to become loose over time. The process of resorption looks like this:
- After losing teeth, osteoclasts (cells responsible for breaking down bone) begin to break down the jawbone.
- As the cells continue their work and more of the jawbone is lost, the structure becomes weaker.
- Eventually, this leads to decreased support for your dentures and can cause them to become insecure.
Unfortunately, once bone resorption has caused loose dentures, there’s no way to reverse it – but you can take steps such as getting professional dental care or investing in new dentures that fit better.
3. Weight Loss
If you’ve recently lost a significant amount of weight and have noticed that your dentures are not fitting as well as they used to, it could be due to the changes in your mouth. This is actually very common; when we lose weight, our jawbones can shrink, which causes our dentures to become loose and ill-fitting.
If this sounds familiar, you need to get back into the dentist’s chair so they can adjust your dentures – or even create new ones – for a more comfortable fit.
Fix Your Loose Dentures and Recover Your Smile
If you’re suffering from ill-fitting dentures, seeking help from an experienced professional is essential. Hillhurst Denture Clinic has been providing custom-made complete and partial dentures in Calgary for over 65 years, with the goal of maintaining the natural shape of your teeth so that you can chew properly, smile proudly, and talk confidently.
We believe everyone should have access to quality dental care, and our team is here to help. Book a free consultation today if you think you may be suffering from loose dentures – we’ll get to the bottom of it!
