I have permanent dentures that were placed on top of dental implants. My lips feel bulky. He said he placed them about 3mm from the gumline. Is that too far? Is that why they feel bulky?
Rick
Dear Rick,
Are you sure your dentist said the gumline? I have a picture to the left to show you where the gumline is. On dentures, that is where the pink acrylic meets with the denture teeth. My suspicion is you are actually referring to the ridge of the jawbone where the dentures are placed.
If your dentures were removable and not anchored, they would have to be placed exactly centered over the ridge bone. If it isn’t properly placed, the denture will tip up when you chew.
This isn’t as essential for you because your dentures are anchored to dental implants. You won’t have to worry about them moving at all. However, their placement is important for both physical and aesthetic reasons.
While 3 mm doesn’t sound out of the ordinary for chewing, if your lips are feeling bulky it is not the right placement for you. When placing quality, well-fitted dentures, your dentist should do wax try-in before it is made in acrylic. It’s important your dentist evaluates the appearance of the teeth, your speech, fullness of the lips, vertical dimension, and bite to make sure everything is correct before processing the dentures.
It doesn’t sound like this is what your dentist did. That’s okay, there is still a fairly easy way to fix this. If you have dentures which are retained with screws, they can easily be re-set. The front teeth can be drilled out and placed into the dentures again in a more correct position.
Even if your dentist charges you for the adjustment, it shouldn’t cost too much.
Benefits of Implant Supported Dentures
It’s great that you and your dentist had the foresight to have your dentures anchored with implants. This will protect you from losing the structure of your jawbone, known in dental terms as facial collapse.
You’ll also find you have a higher quality of life with them secure. Your chewing capacity is increased and you’ll never have to worry about embarrassing slips.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.