Modern dentures are more comfortable and natural-looking than ever, but they’re not free of drawbacks. In particular, dentures for the lower jaw are often more likely to slip out of place compared to upper dentures. It’s important to understand the source of such stability problems as well as what solutions are available; if you’re struggling with a lower denture that won’t stay put, here’s what you need to know.
Why Might Your Lower Denture Be Prone to Slipping?
Sometimes the issue may be that you’re simply not used to wearing your lower denture yet. It takes time to learn how to use your muscles to help keep your prosthesis in place. As such, your dentures may have a tendency to slip while you’re still adjusting to them.
In other cases, the problem might lie in your jawbone. When natural teeth are missing, the jaw tends to lose its bone density. This means that the bone ridge that the lower denture relies on for support will change shape over time, causing the prosthesis to no longer fit properly.
Finally, your denture may be slipping due to an alignment issue. Your artificial teeth and natural teeth need to be able to line up properly while your mouth is closed; if they don’t, your lower denture may be more likely to shift around when you don’t want it to.
What Can You Do to Keep Your Lower Denture In Place?
If you want to help ensure that your lower denture stays where it’s supposed to be, consider the following solutions:
- Practice Using the Denture: You can speed up the process of adjusting to your lower denture by giving yourself plenty of practice using it to chew or speak. One helpful method is to get in the habit of reading out loud and repeating any words that you’re having trouble with.
- Have Your Denture Relined or Adjusted: In many cases, it may be possible for your dentist to simply reline or adjust the denture to improve how well it fits.
- Upgrade to an Implant Denture: Dental implant posts can be surgically inserted into your jaw to act as artificial tooth roots for your denture. Not only will this ensure that your prosthesis stays anchored in place at all times, but the stimulation from the implant posts will help prevent further bone loss.
Your lower denture plays an invaluable role in allowing you to eat, speak, and smile on a daily basis. Take whatever steps you need to in order to stop it from moving out of place when you don’t want it to.
About the Practice
Here at Blue Coast Dental Group, our dentists share a passion for delivering the highest level of care for every patient who walks through our front doors. We offer customized dentures as a time-tested solution for missing teeth, and we can even provide implant dentures for patients who want a more stable solution. To schedule a consultation with our team at our office in Torrance, visit our website or call (310) 424-3100.