Premature Aging
Inferior denture teeth or dentures that are very old can wear excessively. This "shortening" of the teeth leads to a shortening of the face.  The decrease in vertical length of the face will increase the wrinkles around your mouth, cheeks and chin. The end result? You look older.  As I mentioned last week, over time, the ridge tissue will shrink, no longer supporting the denture like it should. An unstable denture can make the ridges shrink even more and at a faster rate.  The only way to really correct this concern is with a new denture.

Joint and Jaw Disorders
An uneven, improper bite, excessive denture tooth wear and "shortening" of the ridges may cause improper support and function which can upset the jaw mechanism. This can, in extreme cases, lead to a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.  TMJ can be characterized by pain in the jaw, neck, head, and/or shoulders.  This can often be corrected by correcting the way the teeth fit together and re-establishing a stable bite.

Bad Breath and Oral Hygiene
As dentures age, numerous areas develop that retain food particles.  This breeds bacteria, which can weaken the denture and lead to bad breath.  Due to the porous nature of the acrylic from which dentures are made and the natural changes occurring in the mouth, even the best made denture should be relined every 3 years and professionally cleaned at least annually.  I have seen dentures that have gone untouched in patient’s mouths for over twenty years!  They typically don’t fit at all and a variety of homemade or over-the-counter “liners” have been used.  This should be no surprise! Would you expect clothes, that you wore all day, everyday, to last 20 years?  Even if they do, there would definitely be considerable wear and tear. Certainly, they would not fit in the same way they once did.  You should expect no less from your dentures!

Sore spots and ulcerations
Improper fit or unnatural-looking dentures can make it difficult and embarrassing to speak, eat and socialize.  As well as time, several things can affect the fit of a denture.  Some of these include:

• Overgrowth or enlargement, of gum tissue may occur when taking certain medications for epilepsy, high blood pressure or chest pain. This gum inflammation may cause your dentures to fit improperly.
• Many of the agents used to treat high blood pressure are also frequently associated with decreased salivation and dry mouth which leads to decreased suction and retention of a denture.
• Heart disease medications can cause edema or fluid retention that will cause a swelling of the body's tissues. Denture fit can fluctuate noticeably because this swelling will affect your gum tissue.
• A significant increase or decrease in weight can affect the fit of your denture.  Believe it or not we even have fat in our mouths!

Next week I will discuss some things you should know concerning the care of a denture.  As always, if you have any questions e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Have a great week.