Jun
My mum has worn dentures for thirty years and she's 73.
I told her to get new ones as hers are old and look tarnished. She said her dentist said he wouldn't be able to fit new ones as too much bone has been lost from her jaw (wether this is just the bottom ie 'they' do move around now or it could be top and bottom) Her sister who 62 has the same thing. Can some kind of implant be made into the bone then dentures clip to them or is there another substitute please?
Answer:
there are basically three alternatives. all three surgical
one is like u mentioned implant. Place implants in key positions in the bone and have them support a denture.
option no 2 is have bone graft on the jaw.
option no 3 is move the sulcus around the bone lower so that the height of the bone increases.
Now which option is best will be decided by an number of factors specific to ur mum. like her medical condition, reason for bone loss, vascularity of remaining bone, density of remaining bone, thickness of remaining bone etc etc etc a long list. which only a thorough med and dental check up can provide. I would suggest that you go to a hospital based dental facility. there are several problems during such an age esp women have osteopenia (reduced bone mass) and osteoporosis (reduced bone density). A private dentist won’t have access to such diagnostic aids as would be needed to exactly decide what’s ideal for her.
Bear in mind that sometimes doing nothing or relining or rebasing the denture is the best option. Sadly, at this age this more often than not is the solution. I sincerely hope that your mum's denture problem is resolved, but try altering her diet, minced meat, chopped fruits, cottage cheese stuff that’s soft yet good.
Answer:
A patient who has worn dentures that long can indeed become a dentist's professional nightmare. Due to bone degradation the denture will only stay where it is supposed to be by applying e.g. denture fixative cream. Even that is not a long-term solution. The situation will ultimately get so bad that neither relining nor new dentures will help.
By putting a denture on the mandible it is exposed to pressure. Pressure always has a degrading effect on bone. Of course there is also pressure involved when you chew with your own teeth. This is however translated into a pulling force by the fibres attaching the teeth to the jaws. Once you have lost your teeth this system is no longer in place. Therefore wearing a denture degrades the bone.
A denture might be kept in place with the help of dental implants. Implants are put into the jaw and a superstructure on the implants will make the denture stick. Implants are a very good solution. All the more so as we hope that your mom has quite a number of years ahead of her!
This video shows how it is done: http://www.nobelbiocare.com/global/en/Ed…
Answer:
I suggest that you go back to the dentist, It's true that, as the gums recede it becomes increasingly difficult to get dentures to stay in place. However, there are several denture adhesives on the market and as long as the dentures are the correct size, work very well. Implants are not really practical for older people.
Answer:
To me that sounds a big fat lazy lie - I've heard gums shrink but I didn't think the actual jaw bone would.
Can she not go to another Dentist for a second opinion?
Answer:
It is NOT true that she can't get a new set of dentures. She most certainly can get them if she wants them bad enough. The prosthodontist (a dentist specializing in dentures) can make a new set for her. She would have to go through the whole process all over again if her jaw structure has changed, so that they fit properly. But it would be worth it in the long run.
Another alternative that’s less costly. If she is happy with her current dentures, she has the ability to get what is called a reline. A reline is basically creating a thicker base (base is the pink area that the pontics (fake teeth) sit in), so that the dentures will then fit properly in her mouth. If they are properly fit, they should not slide around as much. This might be a good substitute for her. A reline, however, would mean that she’ll be without her dentures for a few days, unless she has a second set.
One more thing she can try: There are pastes out there (like Seabond) that can temporarily hold dentures in place. It is kind of like a “glue” substance. This should only be used as a temporary measure though. The dentures still need to be removed each night and put in the container meant for that. But if they’re slipping in her mouth all the time, she could temporarily use this stuff while the dentist makes a new denture set for her, if that is the route she wants to take.
One more thing: dental implants are very difficult on the bone structure and not very practical for a woman your mom's age. I wouldn’t suggest it. There is a lot of pain involved and the whole dental implant process takes many months. I hope this helps.