Denture Relines in Vancouver

When done professionally and designed to the specifications of your gums, new dentures typically fit very securely in your mouth. However, as time passes, your gum tissues begin to change. When this occurs, dentures may become somewhat loose fitting, and thus more prone to movement inside of your mouth. This can lead to discomfort and all sorts of complications. If you haven’t been receiving a regular oral examination for your dentures, and you’ve noticed an issue with their fit, it may be time to have them professionally relined. To keep dentures secure and functional, this procedure is commonly required every one to two years.

Hard Reline

All full dentures should have a hard reline every two years. Vancouver Dental Specialty Clinic removes a layer of plastic from the dentures interior surface, and then fills the denture with a putty-like material which conforms to the contours of your mouth creating an accurate impression. The denture is sent to the lab where it is adjusted to the new shape of your gum tissue. This results in maximum contact between the denture and your mouth.

Soft Reline

Some patients are unable to wear ordinary dentures because of tender gums or sore spots. Vancouver Dental Specialty Clinic may recommend relining the denture with a material that stays pliable for one to two years before needing replacement. This material is much less likely to give the patient sore spots than the standard hard reline acrylic. Patients experiencing these problems may also consider a more permanent solution of implant retained dentures.

Temporary Reline

If your dentures have not been serviced in quite some time, a your gums may become red, swollen, or misshapen. This creates problems in taking impressions for a new hard or soft reline and may lead to a denture that would perpetuate the problem.

In this case, a temporary, or palliative (medicated) reline material may be recommended to allow the inflammation to subside. This reline makes the denture fit much more securely, and is typically soft and pliable. After a few weeks or a month or two, the gums return to a more normal state. The patient (you) would then ready for a new denture or hard reline.

Denture Assessment

We first examine your gums, oral tissues, bite, and current denture. This helps determine whether a reline can correct the problem or whether the denture needs repair, rebasing, or replacement.

Impression

A precise impression is taken inside the existing denture to record the current shape of your gums and supporting tissues.

Reline and Adjustment

New denture base material is added to the tissue-facing surface of the denture. Depending on the type of reline, this may be completed using a dental laboratory. Once the denture is ready, we check its fit, bite, and comfort and make adjustments where needed. We also ensure you have all of the information you need in order to care for your gums and dentures.