Denture Soft Liners
Dentures that fit poorly can be more than just uncomfortable. They can affect the way that you eat and speak. Eventually, significant complications can develop, such as gum irritation. In turn, this can cause blisters and sores, which further leads to fungal and bacterial infections that can impact your general health.
Improperly fitting dentures can also speed up undesirable changes to the facial structure. Since your jaw needs support, poorly fitted dentures can harm your bone structure, leading to signs of premature aging like sunken lips and a sagging face.
Sometimes, dentures can still feel uncomfortable, even if they’ve been adjusted. If your dentist spots a continual pattern of discomfort, you may need soft liners.
What is a soft liner?
Soft liners are a layer of compressible, soft material that your dentist can place between the denture base and your mouth tissue. You may think of soft liners as a type of “shock absorber” to enhance your comfort when you need to wear dentures.
Soft liners can be used either by retrofitting them into existing dentures or creating new dentures. Soft liners offer relief to patients who have flattened and receded gum tissues that do not react well to stress. They can also help those who have chronically sore gums.
Who can wear soft liners?
Patients who cannot achieve a level of comfort with their adjusted dentures may receive a recommendation from their dentist to try soft liners. You may make a good candidate for soft liners if the following applies to you:
- Gums are chronically sore
- Flat, or almost flat, gum tissue
- Thin gum tissue over bony areas
What are the advantages?
Some of the advantages of soft liners are:
- Minimizes direct pressure on tissues
- Helps dentures become more comfortable and stable, particularly for those with sensitive underlying tissues
- Slows down shrinkage of gum tissue through compression and conforming to ever-changing jawbone structure
When should you consider a soft liner?
Dentists typically recommend the relining of dentures every two years. At that point, you can select either a soft or hard liner. You may want to consider a soft liner if you have:
- Significant gum or bone erosion that causes a poor fit
- Uneven jawbone, particularly one with jagged edges
- Tissue sores or gum inflammation that does not heal
- Difficulty chewing with current denture
Soft liners can also benefit those needing dental implants, as these patients cannot receive a complete restoration until their gums have healed completely.
Contact Us
Dentures have a wide range of benefits, but they need to be comfortable so that they can do their job. We offer our patients dentures that fit properly and are easy to use. If you feel that you would benefit from soft liners, please contact our office at your earliest convenience.