These days, there are DIY kits available for practically anything, including relining your dentures. Relining is a procedure that is intended to take dentures that don’t fit any longer because of bone resorption and other changes in the mouth. This is a procedure that should be left to the dentist, not attempted at home. Here’s why.

You Could Ruin Your Dentures

traditional dentures - upper, sitting on a shiny black countertopAlthough many people use denture relining kits without causing permanent damage to dentures, other times your dentures could be completely ruined if you don’t use the kit properly. Sometimes the relining kit is directly to blame–it could affect your denture material–other times it may ruin your bite, resulting in uneven forces on the dentures, which could cause the dentures to break.

You Could Harm Your Bite

Your dentures are taking part in the complex system of your bite, which includes your jaw muscles, jaw joint, and other components. A poorly fitting denture can lead to joint problems that can have far-reaching effects, including jaw pain, headaches, back pain, and more.

This could even lead to progressive joint damage that may require joint surgery, especially if you have arthritis.

You Could Make It Hard to Chew

Even if you’re not causing damage to your jaw joint, poorly relined dentures could make it hard for you to eat many different foods. Many people find that when they try to reline their dentures, they are very unhappy with the results as far as chewing goes.

You Could Impact Your Appearance

Nothing will give your dentures away like having them tilted, off-kilter, or moved to one side or another. If you don’t get your dentures properly set up, you could wind up with your teeth angled or with your midline moved. Putting in too much liner might also lead to a suddenly gummy smile.

The Chemicals Are Unpleasant

At-home denture relining kits use what is known as a direct impression technique. Basically, you bite into the denture with the plastic compound already inside it. You have to hold your bite while the plastic sets up through a chemical reaction. Many people do not like the smell, taste, or texture of this compound.

It’s Temporary at Best

Denture reline kits sold in stores or online are generally for soft relining. Although soft reliners can work, they only last a short period of time, at best a few months. And at that time, then, you’ll have to get your dentures relined (or do it yourself again). Dentists can offer you a more substantial and more durable restoration.

You Might Need New Dentures

Another reason not to reline dentures at home is that you’re not going to know if your dentures actually need to be replaced and not just relined. For some dentures, relining isn’t going to give you very good results, even if professionally done. In this case, home relining is just throwing good money after bad.

If you have  questions about getting great fitting dentures or replacements, please contact a local FOY® Dentures dentist today.