DENTURE RELINES

New dentures will typically fit your mouth very securely, as they have been designed specifically for your gums. As time goes on, your gum tissues will change and the fit of the denture will become more loose and thus more prone to movement inside your mouth.

Having the denture professionally relined every one to two years will keep the denture secure and functional. Three basic reline options are available: Hard, soft, and temporary. Please read below for more information about these denture reline options.

Hard Reline

All full dentures should have a hard reline every two years. Augusta County VA dentists at Willis & Associates: Family Dentistry remove a layer of plastic from the dentures’ interior surface, and then fills the denture with a putty-like material, which conforms to the contours of your mouth creating an accurate impression. The denture is sent to the lab where it is adjusted to the new shape of your gum tissue. This results in maximum contact between the denture and your mouth.

Soft Reline

Some patients are unable to wear ordinary dentures because of tender gums or sore spots. Dr. Willis, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Podbesek or Dr. Levo may recommend relining the denture with a material that stays pliable for one to two years before needing replacement. This material is much less likely to give the patient sore spots than the standard hard reline acrylic. Patients experiencing these problems may also consider a more permanent solution of implant-retained dentures.

Temporary Relines

If dentures have not been serviced in quite some time, a patient’s gums may be red, swollen, or misshapen. This creates problems in taking impressions for a new hard or soft reline and may lead to a denture that would perpetuate the problem.

A temporary, or palliative (medicated) reline material may be recommended to allow the inflammation to subside. This reline makes the denture fit much more tightly, and is usually soft and pliable. After a few weeks, the gums return to a more normal state. The patient is then ready for his new denture or hard reline.

Please call our office if you have any questions or wish to schedule an appointment for a Denture Reline.