Denture Relines
Denture Relines $430 and up per arch / Denture Rebases $515 and up per arch
Over a surprisingly short time the shape of the residual alveolar ridge changes due to the rigors inherent with denture wearing known as resorbtion. This will result in a denture that is loose, moves excessively, drops unexpectedly and causes sore spots. Other more visible changes occur to your face in the same period. The area below your nose will shorten and your chin may protrude. If these conditions are not corrected the loose denture will cause more damage to soft tissue and bone than if the denture was fitted properly. This type of denture problem can often be rectified with one of two procedures, relining or rebasing. These procedures can only be done to dentures that are otherwise still in good shape. If the occlusion has worn significantly you may not be able to correct misalignments of the jaw without making a new denture.
The purpose of relines and rebases is to refit a denture to the changing contours of the supporting tissues. A reline adds a thin layer of acrylic material to the tissue fitting surface of the denture. A rebase replaces all of the old denture base material with new acrylic as well as refitting the tissue surface.
There will be changes to your appearance after the reline is completed.
In order for these procedures to be successful the dentures must be in acceptable condition. There must be more than 50% of occlusal tooth anatomy left. The correct centric relation and vertical dimension at occlusion must still be attainable and repeatable with the use of an impression. The occlusal surfaces of the dentures must interdigitate properly either with the opposing denture, a removable partial denture or natural dentition. Generally these procedures will add 1-2 mm of new material to a denture. In the case of upper and lower relines/rebases there can be up to 4 mm of new material added. This will produce changes that you will notice as a full feeling or that the dentures close sooner than before. You can expect these types of changes and a period of time will be needed to adjust to your relined denture. This can take varying amounts of time depending on material shrinkage, your adaptability and the condition that the supporting tissues are in. If upper and lower dentures need to be relined or rebased the mandibular should be done two or three days prior to the maxillary.
Reline and rebase procedures start with an accurate impression of the existing intraoral condition. The resulting impression is poured up in dental stone to form a durable cast. The hardened cast is trimmed appropriately and invested in a brass flask. In further steps the excess wax and impression material is removed and replaced with new acrylic. The new acrylic will be heat bonded with the old acrylic in six to eight hours and produce a rough unfinished denture. After opening the cooled flask and discarding the spent matrix the denture is trimmed and highly polished to a glassy smooth finish. When you come to pick up your denture there will be some minor adjustments due to processing shrinkage. You may want to set up a follow-up appointment within the next two days to eliminate more sore spots. There is no charge for adjustments.
Care for your hard reline is easy, while over a sink of water;
Remove large debris from the denture with a soft cloth
Soak the denture for fifteen minutes in a suitable cleaning solution
Rinse and replace or soak overnight in water
For soft relines, while over a sink of water;
Remove large deposits of debris with a soft cloth
Scrub the soft liner vigorously with a soft brush
Soak the denture in an appropriate cleaner for no more than fifteen minutes
Rinse and replace or soak overnight in water only
Note: soft liners are damaged by prolonged exposure to most soaking solutions and harsh cleaners. Read the manufacturers instructions before assuming your cleaner is safe.
All soft liners may develop yeast colonies due to medications and/or oral chemistry. If this occurs the soft liner will need to be replaced more frequently.
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