How long will your dentures last? This is an understandable question when you receive a set of full or partial dentures. There is no clear answer, and it's important to understand that your existing dentures are more likely to need some maintenance or repairs as opposed to a full replacement. It has been suggested that most people will need some form of denture repairs or maintenance after approximately three years. Again, this is not set in stone, since there are so many variables as to how you use and care for your dentures. So what are some of the factors that impact the lifespan of your dentures?

Cleaning and Handling

You will find many conflicting answers when asking how long your dentures can be expected to last. A lot of it depends on how well the dentures are maintained. This involves both careful cleaning (using a non-abrasive cleaning solution suitable for dentures) and careful handling. Using inappropriate cleaning materials can cause corrosion to the acrylic resin that has been used to make the prosthetic teeth. This means that they can degrade in a similar fashion to natural teeth experiencing enamel degradation. Not being careful with your dentures is another way to shorten their lifespan. Dentures that have been dropped and shattered will require replacement, although minor breakages are sometimes repairable.

Relining

While the dentures themselves might still be considered to be structurally sound, their functionality might be compromised to the point where they can no longer be used comfortably. This occurs when the recession of your jawbone causes the dentures to no longer properly fit. Such recession is minuscule and barely noticeable, although it can create problems with your dentures, such as irritation inside your mouth and slipping out of position. Recession of the gums is thought to be due to a variety of causes, such as your dental hygiene, genetic factors, and even simple aging. The dentures were made to fit your jaws at the time of fabrication, so it's rather logical that this will no longer be the case if the size of your jaws is altered in any way. Such an issue does generally not require an entirely new set of full or partial dentures. In this instance, the dentures are relined. An additional layer of plastic resin is applied to the upper or lower plate (or both) of the dentures. This is the pink section to which the prosthetic teeth are attached.

Wear and Tear

Some wear and tear to the acrylic resin that has been used to make the prosthetic teeth can also be anticipated. This can vary significantly depending on your diet and the distribution of pressure when you bite, which can be different from one person to another. This wear and tear does not guarantee that your dentures will need to be replaced in their entirety, but individual prosthetic teeth might require repair or even replacement.

There can be no definitive answer when talking about how long your dentures can be expected to last. The key point is to take care of them as best you can and to report any changes to your dentist.

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