5 Signs It's Time to Realign Your Dentures

More than 42 million Americans wear full or partial dentures, replacing missing teeth and restoring function and confidence. Today’s dentures are more lightweight and durable than ever, but they need occasional adjustments to remain comfortable and secure.

At A Caring Dental Group, Benedict Kim, DDS, and his team help patients adjust to dentures and maintain them over time. In this post, learn five signs that could mean it’s time to have your dentures realigned.

1. Changes in the way they fit

Your dentures are designed to hug the contours of your gums and palate, offering a snug and secure fit. Over time, you can lose bone tissue where natural teeth are absent, changing how your dentures fit.

As the jawbone shrinks or thins, dentures often become loose and less secure. If you notice that they slip out of place or feel loose, don’t compensate with extra denture adhesive. Instead, call the office to schedule a realignment.

2. Problems biting and chewing

Sticky or hard foods aren’t the best choices for denture wearers, but wearing dentures lets you eat most foods without issues. Because dentures are designed for the unique contours of your mouth, they enable you to bite and chew without worrying about discomfort or slippage.

Dentures out of alignment don’t fit how they should, leading to sore spots when eating. You might feel like your dentures are coming loose when biting or chewing, or you no longer enjoy the variety of foods you used to.

Realigning your dentures with your natural bite pattern restores normal function.

3. Changes in speech and pronunciation

For many people, speaking with dentures takes a little practice at first. But once you get used to them, you speak as clearly as before tooth loss.

However, misaligned dentures can affect how you speak. You may find it takes extra effort to make certain sounds, or you slur or stumble over letters like S or T. Some people find their dentures slip when they say certain words — all signs it’s time for a realignment.

4. Gum irritation or sore spots

Today’s dentures are made of lightweight, state-of-the-art materials, but they’re still tough and solid. If they loosen, they can rub against your gums, creating areas of irritation or sore spots.

Even minor irritation increases your risk of infection. If you notice new sore spots, schedule an exam so we can adjust your dentures, eliminate pressure points, and check for signs of infection.

5. Jaw or facial pain

Ill-fitting dentures also can lead to jaw and facial pain. When we eat or speak, we use our jaw and facial muscles a lot. If your dentures are out of alignment, those muscles must work harder to function how you want, leading to muscle strain and pain. 

Realignment restores the normal distribution of pressure and force on your jaws and facial muscles, relieving painful symptoms.

In-office realignment

Denture realignment is a simple process we typically perform right in our office during a regular dental checkup. If your dentures aren’t performing how they should, request an appointment online or over the phone today with the team at A Caring Dental Group in Cleveland, Ohio.