When your dentist creates new dentures for you, they take care with making sure they align to your gums perfectly. Dentures that have a good fit will do an excellent job at retaining suction, and are not likely to become unstable when chewing or speaking. As you wear your dentures over time, the gums that they were originally aligned with will start to change shape due to them not getting the stimulation that natural teeth provide. It can lead to reduced suction and discomfort when wearing dentures.
This problem can be fixed with a denture relining. The process involves creating a new mold along the bottom of the dentures that will have a better fit against your gums. It can be done in the following 3 ways.
Hard Relining
The plastic found inside the acrylic base of the dentures will be removed and reshaped to match the new shape of your gums. A new mold will be taken of your gums, which is used to create a new acrylic base. The end result will be dentures that fit your gums much better, and improve stability and suction.
Hard relining is a procedure that can be done on an as-need basis to ensure that your dentures fit properly.
Soft Relining
A soft relining procedure will replace your denture's existing acrylic base material with one that is pliable. The material will range from hard rubber to one that is waxy, and have a much softer consistency. This can be done if you are having problems with gum irritation from the harder material, which is causing you to not wear your dentures because of the painful sores that have developed.
Usually these sores develop from having dentures that are not fitting properly. It forces the wearer to use more pressure than normal to keep their dentures stable. A soft relining may be necessary to help you adjust back to dentures that fit properly.
Temporary Relining
When dentures haven't been adjusted for a while, it can cause your gums to be very painful due to inflammation. If an acrylic mold cannot be made, a temporary relining will be necessary while your gums heal. A temporary relining will put therapeutic material along the base of your dentures before attempting the hard relining.
Meet with your general dentist or denturist about what relining method will be best for you. They will recommend one of the 3 methods after having a consultation.
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