I currently have an upper dentist that is making me gag all the time. I hate the way it feels hard against the upper part of my mouth. I am hoping that there is something softer and pliable. Do you know of any denture like that? If so, what is it called?
Lorraine
Dear Lorraine,
While there are not soft dentures, there are soft liners that fit into a denture. Unfortunately, this won’t solve your problem. What the soft liner is designed for is to help patients with bony ridges on their jawbone. The lower denture rests on the jawbone. If it is bony, the denture rubbing against it can cause painful sores. They are more comfortable, but they have a few downsides. They are more expensive, they’re a bit trickier to clean, and they have to be replaced more often.
Your problem, however, is more with the framework of the upper denture that goes across the roof of your mouth. You can’t really make this soft because you need the framework to be firm in order to fit properly and to aid in chewing.
That being said, there is a solution. The best thing for you to do is to get implant supported dentures. This places some implants in your jawbone and then anchors the dentures to them. This will take away the need for the framework completely. It is best if you can can also get the implants for your lower dentures too, otherwise you will eventually be dealing with facial collapse.
What is Facial Collapse?
When your teeth were first removed, your body began to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use them in a place they will be more useful. Unfortunately, there are going to be a side effect of your jawbone slowly shrinking. After about ten years or so, there will not be enough of your jawbone left to even keep your dentures in place. Placing dental implants in your jaw, signals to your body that you still have teeth and it will keep your minerals in place. Then you will not have to deal with facial collapse.
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