Denture Rebase and Repairs Weymouth MA
Denture repair is somewhat of a generic term, describing many forms of denture restorations. Fixing a crooked frame is different from repairing a crack, for example. This article deals mainly with a certain type of denture repair known as denture rebasing, which involves replacing the “gums” of dentures.
What Is a Rebase?
A denture rebase is a type of denture restoration that takes place without changing any other component of the device besides its base.
Different Types of Denture Repairs
Two common types of denture repairs are relining and rebasing.
Denture Relining
When you have one or more missing teeth, the jawbone underneath will begin changing almost immediately. This is a process called bone resorption where the jawbone literally melts away, since there is no tooth root present to stimulate and maintain bone mass in the area. This process can lead to dentures that once fit correctly becoming unstable.
Denture relining involves adding material to the denture component coming into contact with the gums. The goal of relining is helping your dentures fit better and feel more comfortable after your gums have shifted and changed.
Denture Rebasing
As mentioned earlier, denture rebasing only involves the “gum” component of dentures. This is the part that must correctly fit over the natural gums.
To perform denture rebasing, your dentist would use your old dentures to create an impression of your dental ridge. They would then send this impression to a dental laboratory, which will create a new base for your dentures. Your artificial teeth will be transferred from the old denture base to the new one.
Accomplishing denture rebasing should only take a few days. Your dentist may advise you to have your dentures rebased when:
- Experience pain and discomfort.
- Dentures have worn out.
- Your dentures snap in half or undergo some type of serious damage.
- You want your temporary dentures changed into permanent ones.
Rebasing vs. Relining
Rebasing dentures involves a good deal of time and effort in comparison to denture relining. If you need a soft denture reline, for example, your dentist will be adding a soft lining to the inner part of the denture base. In contrast, denture relining can be completed while you wait in the office.
When to Contact Your Dentist
To protect your oral health and keep enjoying your dentures, if you should have a problem, contact your dentist immediately. In many cases, a fix can be performed fairly easily. If you procrastinate, you may end up needing to buy a completely new set of dentures.