When a person has new dentures, they are custom made, according to the shape of his mouth, to assure proper fit and retention. Usually, a set of dentures will last up to seven years. However, due to the changes in shape of the mouth, and normal wear and tear of denture, a relining is usually necessary.

What Relining Is

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Denture relining is a procedure that involves shaving away the underside of dentures and replacing with plastic, to assure proper fitting to the gums. Bone loss in the mouth area is often cause for the need of this procedure, as well as prolonged use of the dentures. Relining procedures can be done either in a dental office, or in a veneer laboratory.

Relining Procedures

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There are three kinds of denture relining procedures, each one for specific needs. A hard reline is recommended by dental professionals as a procedure that needs to be done as frequently as every two or three years. A hard reline cannot be done during a dental visit, and is sent to a laboratory for accuracy. A soft reline is for patients with sensitive gums who develop painful spots from the underside of their dentures. To remedy this, dental professionals line the denture with soft material that requires frequent relining. Temporary relines are also available to people who have worn their dentures so long, that their gums become swollen, and even misshapen. Temporary relines usually contain anesthetic to subside the swelling, before proper dentures can be fitted.

Relining is the resurfacing the fitting surface of a denture with a new material. This can be achieved in one of two ways, direct (chairside) or indirect (lab).

DIRECT

Cold cured acrylic or tissue conditioner are used, but are not very durable and are only a short term solution. The fitting surface of the denture is cleaned, roughened, and slightly reduced. The flanges are trimmed (to reduce danger of over extension) and the undercuts removed. The new relining is then mixed and applied to the fitting surface.The denture is inserted and the patient asked to bite gently on the denture to ensure that the occlusion is not altered by the procedure. Border moulding can then be carried out.The denture is kept in situ for about 5 minutes after which it is removed and carefully examined. If cold cured acrylic was used the denture is placed in a hydroflask to complete the curing and to reduce the possibility of porosity. If tissue conditioner was used then the excess should be trimmed away and re-inserted. This should be carried out a couple more times to make sure the all of the excess is removed.

The result is a better fitting denture due to its new and well adapted fitting surface.

INDIRECT

The fitting surface is cleaned.The undercuts are removed and the flanges are shortened. Minor defects and extensions can be corrected with self cured acrylic such as Total. A wash impression is then taken on the fitting surface of the denture with impression paste, with the patient in light occlusal contact.In the laboratory the technician’s replace the impression paste with heat cured acrylic which is more durable than the materials used for direct relines.

Relines lead to an increase in palate thickness. When a number of relines have been carried out a rebase can be carried out to reduce this palatal thickness.

REBASE

The technique is the same as for reline except in the laboratory the palate is removed and a new one waxed in before processing