Dentures: Facts, Figures and Friendly Advice for Seniors

Questions to Discuss With Your Dentist About Getting a Dental Plate

28 April 2016

Herman Kim

A dental plate, meaning a full or partial set of dentures, can be what you need when you're missing any number of teeth. Without teeth, your gums can become inflamed and irritated and you may not be able to eat a number of foods, and the bones of your jaw may get soft from not being stimulated and encouraged to grow and remain strengthened. If this is the first time you've considered getting a dental plate, you may have some questions about how it works and how to care for it. Note a few of those questions here and then discuss them with your dentist if you need more details.

1. Are dental plates permanent?

Dentures, whether partial or full, are not permanent. This is because they can show signs of wear over time, and because the shape of your face may change with age. It's important that you visit your dentist as often as recommended when you have a dental plate so he or she can evaluate the condition of the plate and if it's still a good fit for your face.

2. Do dental plates hurt?

Some soreness in the gums is not unusual with new dental plates just because the gums may not be accustomed to having something rub against them. However, if you have long-term soreness or pain with dental plates, this often means they were not fitted properly or that you have a sensitivity to an adhesive you're using. Your dentist can tell you what changes need to be made to ensure your plate or plates fit properly and you're protecting your gums as well.

3. A friend had plates and they didn't last more than a few months; why?

Note that how you handle dental plates can contribute quite a bit toward their longevity and durability; for example, if you clean them under very hot water, this can actually cause them to warp. Using abrasive toothpastes, hard toothbrushes, and bleaching agents can also damage the plates. If you were to drop them on a hard surface, this might cause them to crack and, even though they may still technically fit, the crack might get bigger over time. If you have a friend whose plates didn't last very long and needed a replacement after a few months, he or she may not have been taking proper care of them, a problem you can avoid by understanding how to clean and handle plates properly.  

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