Monday, July 11, 2011

How OLD are your Dentures ???

HOW LONG DO DENTURES LAST ?
By: The Denture Pro.
Copyrighted Material
<thedenturepro@aol.com>
Given the cost of dental appliances in general they are a bargain when compared to other artificial body part replacements. Eye glasses are expected to be out dated with in two to three years. Pace makers are in general expected to be replaced between eight and ten years. Hearing aids three to five years. Dental appliances on the other hand are expected to have a life expectancy of at least twenty years (by the public). Dental operative procedures such as filings,root canals and crowns are expected last for a lifetime......those of us in the dental health field know that those expectations are unreasonable and for the most part will never be realized.
The average lifetime of a fully and properly functioning denture is between "five" and "seven" years. This time frame can be altered by health problems, mental stress and or the loss of body weight......We know that a sudden illness such as the "flu" can cause a person to loose weight quickly. If as little as 2% of the bodies weight is lost, in say three to five days, it can cause a denture to fit differently than prior to the weight loss. If the person looses a great deal more than the 2%, say 6% to 10% in a short period, most dentures will fit vastly different. Large amounts of weight loss, such as on an extended diet will also cause the gums to change a great deal. When the gums shrink, regardless of the cause, they never return to their previous size and shape.
SO...what’s the answer to the above? If the dentures are relatively new and the changes in the gums have ceased the dentures can be refitted by a process called "Relining". If on the other hand the dentures are five years old or older the smart thing to do is to replace them. Older dentures have worn denture teeth and more than likely the jaws have become over closed. These are problems that "Relining" will not correct.
If jaws are allowed to become to over closed there is a risk that damage will occur to the jaw joint. The area for this is often called "temporomandibular joint ", (TMJ) this joint is created where the lower jaw connects to the skull. At the top of the lower jaw bone on either side, the top forms a rounded almost ball like shape called the "Condyle" this top end of the lower jaw fits into a depression in the skull bone called the "fosse". The Fosse is shaped somewhat like the palm of your hand when it’s cupped. When the lower jaw opens and closes the Condyles move in the fosse like a ball joint.
When the jaw is allowed to over close some people begin to experience sever pain in the jaw joint. One of the worst reasons for the pain is when the lower jaw bone and the skull bone come into direct contact. The "fosse" in the skull bone is covered with a thin layer of skin. This layer of skin is very very slippery and it’s slippery surface provides the lubricated like surface for the "condyle" to slide back and forth on. If the lower jaw gets out of alignment due to an over closed jaw joint, it’s possible for that thin layer of fosse skin to get a hole worn through it allowing bone to bone contact.....and that is very painful. In some patients the pain is so great that they can not open their jaws enough to even get food into the mouth....The remedy for this situation is a surgical procedure in which an artificial lining is inserted into the fosse.
If on the other hand the fosse skin layer only detached at the edge of the fosse and gathered up in the fosse like a sock in a shoe, the surgical procedure will be to attempt to reattach the skin to the fosse rim. In either case the situation could have been avoided by having a yearly examination to determine the alignment of the jaws and the condition of the dental appliance or appliances.
Below are observations you can make to determine if you are in need of a "TMJ" exam and possible replacement of existing dental appliances.
1....When the jaws are closed shut and the lower front teeth are in front of the upper front teeth.
2....The lips are no longer full and are now thin with out much surface exposed.
3....The corners of the mouth form an upside down smile line.
4....Deep creases have formed from the sides of the nose down to the outside corners of the upper lip.
5....When you smile, little to no teeth are visible. (Check this against an old photograph when you had your natural teeth) and don’t let anyone tell you that because your a senior citizen you can’t show teeth and have a good smile line. Telling you that is almost always a cop out and an attempt to avoid responsibility for an error in establishing the proper jaw relationship when the dental appliance was constructed.
If you have any questions regarding this material or information please contact The Denture Pro. at <thedenturepro@aol.com>
The Denture Pro.
F.Spiva Jr. CDT MDT CD