Adjusting Dentures: A Comprehensive Guide for Denture Wearers

Are you a denture wearer looking to adjust your dentures at home? While it might seem like a cost-effective solution, adjusting dentures yourself is not recommended. Here's why, and what you should do instead.

The Importance of Professional Adjustment

It is fundamental to understand that only a professional dentist should perform adjustments on dentures. Attempting to adjust them at home can result in damage to your dentures. Dentists have the specialized tools and knowledge needed to make minor adjustments, ensuring your dentures fit comfortably and properly. Additionally, if your dentures no longer fit, it may indicate a change in the size and shape of your mouth, necessitating a relining or remake by a professional.

DIY Denture Adjustment: What You Can and Can't Do

While you can make minor adjustments, such as lightly sanding a rough spot on the denture with the fine side of a fingernail emery board, it is critical to avoid more invasive methods. Specific tools and techniques should be used, and any home-made efforts can lead to further damage. Mototool usage is strictly forbidden.

Never use a mototool on your dentures, and never attempt to reline them yourself. This can cause irreversible damage and discomfort.

Using Denture Cream for Minor Adjustments

If you find that your dentures fit poorly or need minor adjustments, you can experiment with denture cream. Applying it to certain areas can improve the fit. One user, for example, found that adding an extra dot of cream to a specific spot allowed their dentures to fit perfectly, enabling them to eat difficult foods like apples and corn on the cob without any issues. However, ensure that your denture cream does not contain zinc, as it can cause discomfort.

Make sure your denture cream doesn’t have zinc in it, as it can cause further irritation.

Professional Relining through Dremel and Acrylic Bur

For more significant adjustments, professional tools like a Dremel and an acrylic bur are necessary. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to approach the process:

Preparation: Use Crisco shortening, a small brush, and optional ingredients (powdered sugar and vanilla extract) to mark the denture. Apply this in thin streaks to see where the denture contacts your mouth during biting.

Testing Fit: Place the denture in your mouth and bite a few times. Inspect the inside of the denture for areas that lost the Crisco streaks. These areas need adjustment.

Adjusting the Denture: Use the acrylic bur to refine the areas where the denture contacts your mouth. Repeat the process until no heavy pressure spots remain.

Cleaning: Thoroughly clean the denture with Dawn dish soap and a denture cleaning brush, then polish any rough spots that remain.

Conservative Approach: Proceed with extreme caution, as you can remove more material but cannot replace it. Aim for a slight tight fit, as this ensures the denture stays in place properly.

Remember, perfecting this process takes years of experience. If you attempt these steps without proper training, you may end up making the problem worse.

Conclusion

While DIY adjustments can seem cost-effective, they are not recommended. Always seek professional help from a dentist to ensure your dentures fit properly and remain in great condition. Proper maintenance can significantly improve your denture wearing experience and overall oral health.