A full upper denture has the benefit of having the whole upper palate available to use for suction. The upper denture extends all the way to the back of the soft palate and creates a palatal seal. This gives the denture stability and retention.
The amount of stability that can be achieved in a full lower denture depends on how much remaining “alveolar bone” is present. You can see the alveolar bone in the images below.
The skull to the right shows the full amount of alveolar bone beneath the lower teeth.
As the person still has all their teeth (and as long as the bone is healthy), the distance between the chin-bone and the 4 front lower teeth will remain about the same throughout life.
The skull to the right here shows a very small amount of alveolar bone remaining.
This person would have been without any teeth for 20-30 years. Without teeth present, the body considers the bone useless and it resorbs. The loss of the alveolar bone over time will vary patient to patient depending on many factors.
With a reduction in the amount of alveolar bone remaining, the full lower denture has less to hold onto. As a result, suction cannot be created which prevents proper retention. This means that the goal when making a new full lower denture is to provide stability.
Don’t fret as there are treatment options available in even the most serve cases. At Aesthetic Denture Clinic we are with you every step of the way and strive to make great looking dentures with functionality.
We take the time to make the best possible denture for you and your individual needs.
For any more information don’t hesitate to call or email us on;
info@aestheticdentures.com.au
