Wellness

[Squirt60]

I have had an upper denture for many years but I recently got a lower denture and I am having problems eating. Even if I glue them in they come loose. Does anyone also have a lower denture and if so how do you handle the eating issue? 

Thank you .

[Kachina624]

When I got my upper denture, my dentist warned me that a lower was much more difficult to fit and wear.  I guess he was correct.  He said it as a warning to baby my lower teeth.  So far so good.

[chlema]

@Squirt60 I only have a partial lower denture and experience no problem with it.  However, my DH has full dentures, always wears the uppers but hates the lower ones because they don't stay put.  He's stubborn and refuses to go back to the dentist, what can I say.  My dentist once told me to always try to keep some of your lower teeth to act as anchors for a partial because lower full dentures are difficult since their is no suction as there is in the uppers.  I think that's why so many opt to spend $$ to have posts put in.  I suggest you go back to your dentist and see what he can do, maybe you just need an adjustment, hopefully.  Good luck.

[patbz]

DH had had $50,000 worth of implants,bridges and now dentures (after dry mouth caused some of the other stuff to fail).  Thankfully, my mouth is almost perfect (didn't even need braces).  His dental hygiene is excellent, so it's the luck of the draw ( but really necessary to maintain for your overall health).

[Moonchilde]

I had a partial lower for many years. That was somewhat annoying to deal with, but it was anchored by a tooth and wires.

When I knew I needed to have the full denture, I was told up front that no matter how well fitted, lower dentures were just not going to be all that great, for anyone, and they recommend at least two implants to at least try to keep them in your mouth.

I have the two implants. The denture stays in my mouth but I can’t eat or chew anything I want, believe me. And as the implant caps start to loosen (no one told me that beforehand) they give you different spacer-type things. When you still can’t keep it in your mouth, you need to pay for new dentures.  Swell, eh?

So even if I decide I need to pay for two more (recommended), at some point, even with four implants in, you still periodically need a new denture just because after all that $$, the denture will STILL eventually get wiggly loose. Yay.....

[De Anna]

I have both lower and upper dentures. And yes, the bottoms do come loose. I can't afford implants, so I just keep applying polygrip through out the day. Wish I culd be more help. 

[CelticCrafter]

My husband is in the process of having a new lower partial made and it's turned into a you know what show.

First impression was taken back in mid November and he still doesn't have them because they have to keep sending them back.

He's supposed to go back next week for the third time.  I know which tech is doing the impressions and having dealt with her myself, she is not that good at taking impressions or making temporary crowns and having them turn out right.

I'm also convinced that since he wouldn't agree to implants the dentist is playing games in a "told you so" way.

The insurance company has already paid the dentist and I think if they aren't right next week, we will have to get them involved.  He's been more than patient.  What should have been a 3 week process has been going on now for 3 months.

He also needs a new upper made and he's not going back there to have it done.

[RedTop]

@Squirt60,

Everyone I know with lower dentures has the same complaint.  My husband uses Fixodent and a liner product which helps when eating.  I think the name of it is Sea-Bond.  It works for him.   

[NickNack]

Do dentures cause your gums to bleed a lot when you first get them?  I used to work with someone that couldn't really afford dentures so went to one of those less expensive places to get them.  She had so much irritation and bleeding it was awful.  

She went back, and they told her it was normal and would eventually stop.  That didn't seem normal to me.

[Moonchilde]

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wrote:

Do dentures cause your gums to bleed a lot when you first get them?  I used to work with someone that couldn't really afford dentures so went to one of those less expensive places to get them.  She had so much irritation and bleeding it was awful.  

She went back, and they told her it was normal and would eventually stop.  That didn't seem normal to me.

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Yes and no.  The way most people get dentures these days is - you get molded for a temporary denture. Once that temporary denture is back from the lab, all your remaining teeth are removed. At that time, on that day, you start wearing your temporary denture. Most dentists say don’t take them out for several days, due to swelling and possible bleeding from the extractions.

This temporary denture starts out “rough” - all of the sharp edges are not filed to your mouth yet. It’s very painful because your gums are very tender and swollen. You may need to go back to the dentist every few days for a week or two in order for them to grind away the sore spots, one by one. Rough edges can lacerate the heck out of your tongue, never mind your gums.

Patients need to understand (and dentists never tell them) how much dealing with a temporary denture sux, and that it sux even more as time goes on. Dentists should be willing to have you keep coming back for this, and you need to be time-flexible. There should be no charge for this either.

Once your rough spots/pressure spots are smoothed out so the dentures don’t hurt just being in your mouth, there is still an adjustment period to chewing (forget biting) and your gums will be sensitive to that pressure awhile.

Then once they don’t hurt, they won’t stay in your mouth. At first the various adhesives work decently well, but as time goes on, half a tube of Fixodent won’t help you eat a burger.

It takes a good six months before your gums have shrunk enough to try and fit a permanent denture. Six months of misery, honestly. Everyone has to get through it.

The measuring and molding are MUCH more precise this time, covering multiple preliminaries and multiple visits until you feel they fit and look as good as they can. Then they make the final pair.

You’re pretty *OOL with bottom dentures staying in unless you have implants. Even with implants they can rock, and suction or pressure can tend to pop them loose, if you attempt things that require biting or heavy duty jaw work. There are things I just don’t eat without a knife and fork, that others would die before they’d eat it with a knife and fork in public.

My permanent uppers are fine, though I do use an adhesive (which lasts through 2-3 meals depending) and still can’t eat whatever I want.

During my “temporary” phase I tried every adhesive on the market and when your dentures just fit really loose, or with bottom dentures, nothing worked more than a single meal. Sea Bond sheets didn’t work for me at all. Poligrip tube is better than nothing but not much better. Fixodent tube worked best, but is he** to get the remnants out of your mouth.

What I have settled on with my permanent dentures is Poligrip or Wernets POWDER.  Wernets is made in Ireland, from seaweed. Previously, people were importing it, buying it from the UK. Then Poligrip purchased the US rights to the formula. It’s the only product that I have found that allows me not to have to reapply in a day and is not horribly goopy to get rid of. It’s simple, fast and easy AFAIC. I can’t do without it.