Loose dentures
Loose denture in Greenwich, CT: a fit worth revisiting
Adhesive is a workaround for something with an underlying cause: bone that has changed shape, or a denture that was never quite right. Both of those can be addressed properly.
How urgent is it?
Routine visit
Sooner if it is rubbing a sore spot. A denture ulcer that persists for weeks needs to be examined, not endured.
Opening hours
Mon–Tue 8a–7p · Wed–Thu 8a–5p · Fri 9a–2p
What this usually means
The causes we see most often
01
Bone shrinking under the denture
The ridge that supports a lower denture narrows year after year once the teeth are gone. The denture keeps its shape; the mouth underneath does not.
02
A denture that was never quite right
An incorrect bite or an over-extended edge can unseat a denture every time you speak.
03
Limited support on the lower jaw
Lower dentures simply have far less surface area to hold onto than upper ones. Many people never quite get on with one, and that is not a personal failing.
What to do right now
Before you get here
- 01
Leave it out overnight, and keep it clean, since tissue under a denture worn around the clock tends to become inflamed.
- 02
If a spot is sore, note exactly where, and please stop trimming it yourself.
- 03
Bring every denture you own to the appointment, including older ones. An earlier denture often tells us what once worked well.
- 04
Do not let adhesive become the long-term plan. It is usually a sign of something that can be adjusted.
What we would do
At the appointment
We examine the ridge, the bite, and the fit surface, and work out whether this denture can be made to work or has reached the end of its useful life.
Sometimes a reline restores the fit for a fraction of the cost of a new denture, and we look at that option first.
Where a denture has reached the end of its useful life, we talk through a new one made to fit the way your mouth is shaped today, and explain every option honestly, including referral where that serves you better.
How we fix it
The treatments this usually leads to
Q & A
What patients ask us about this
Often the existing denture can be relined or rebalanced first. We start there, since it is quicker and considerably less expensive, and it also tells us how much of the problem is the fit itself.
No. Planning around that is part of the job. You leave every appointment with teeth in place, and we spell that out clearly in the plan.
Where we are
211 East Putnam Avenue, Suite 2-6, Cos Cob
Minutes from central Greenwich on East Putnam Avenue, with parking at the building.
Patients travel to us from
Describe it in your own words when you call. We will tell you whether it needs us today.