I have dentures and the lower one floats around. It makes it very difficult to eat. What can I do to be able to eat comfortably again?
The hardest dental appliance to get used to is the complete denture that replaces lower teeth. When it does not have anything holding it in, it is fighting the tongue, muscles of the cheeks and chin, and lack of surface area to create suction. There are several ways you can solve this concern.
The first option would be to have the lower denture relined or even remade. Over time the tissue where your teeth were shrinks. If you do either of these options the lower denture will adapt better, making it fit better. This is your most cost effective option, but the denture will still float if you do not have enough bone height to support it. You will have to repeat this depending on how fast your bone and tissue are shrinking.
The second option would be to place two to six implants that a denture or a fixed bridge-type prosthetic would snap onto or screw into. This option does cost more, but it allows for more chewing force and comfort, and you don’t have to worry about your denture slipping out. This option takes planning and should never be done in a “cookie-cutter” approach, in which all patients of a practice get the same treatment.
If you are considering implants, the sooner you start treatment the more options you will have and the easier it will be. The choices of treatment should be what is best for you concerning cost, conserving bone and your personal expectations.
