Full acrylic dentures are life changing for many people today -- and in fact, you might nearly forget that you're wearing dentures once you've grown accustomed to them. Whilst you might feel like your dentures have always been part of your mouth, they're actually not a permanent teeth replacement -- at least not totally. The teeth part of the dentures is likely to last for many years, but the base of your acrylic dentures is more likely to need a reline after a few years due to natural changes in your mouth structure. There are several ways that you may realise it's time for an acrylic denture reline, but the following two ways might surprise you. 

Your Denture Adhesive Isn't Lasting Like it Used To

If you're using denture adhesive exactly as you always have but you've noticed that it's not lasting as long, you may need a reline. The purpose of denture adhesive is to supplement the natural suction power of your gums, and it's normally quite efficient at doing this. However, normal bone loss makes your gums change in shape.

Your denture base was custom made for the shape of your gums before, so good suction is difficult to achieve after these changes. Even the best denture adhesive can't compensate for the fact that the denture base doesn't fit properly anymore. A reline will reshape the base whilst leaving the remainder of the dentures intact, allowing you to get a perfect fit once again.

Your Eating Habits Have Changed Without Even Realising It

Whilst you probably already know that loose dentures are a clear sign that you need a reline, you might not realise that your dentures are actually growing loose. When many denture wearers suddenly start to have difficulties with eating more challenging foods, they may simply think that they didn't use enough adhesive that day and dismiss it. 

After you have difficulties with eating challenging foods a few times, you might subconsciously start to make adjustments rather than place the blame on your dentures. For example, if you've been unable to eat crunchy veggies without your dentures shifting several times, you might just eliminate that food from your diet. If you've started to avoid certain foods, without even realising why you did so, ask yourself whether denture shifting or discomfort was the root cause. 

If you've made dietary changes that were never necessary back when your dentures were still new and fit well, you can get back to full denture function with a reline. Relining makes the dentures fit and feel just like they did when new, because the entire portion of the dentures that sits against your gums is new and perfectly shaped for the current dimensions of your mouth. 

The two problems above are strong indicators that it's time to consider an acrylic denture reline, so don't force yourself to live with ill-fitting dentures any longer. Contact your denturist today to get help with a reline!

Share