Principles of Denture Stability

An edentulous, or toothless person, depends on modern dentistry to restore his ability to eat and speak properly. Successful dentures will allow him to eat tough food once more and speak without lisping. Certain principles will determine the stability of his dentures.

Prosthodontic Principles

• Three prominent prosthodontic principles are applied in the manufacture of dentures: stability, retention and support. Each principle is what helps keep dentures in the mouth, where they belong, allowing the patient to eat and speak normally again. When having a consult with a dentist leading up to the creation of new dentures, a cursory knowledge of these principles helps the patient understand as the dentist speaks. It makes the time with the dentist more productive when both dentist and patient are on the same page.

Support

• Support is the idea explaining how the underlying mucosa, gums and tissues, particularly vestibules, or the areas between the cheek and gums and lips and gums, keep the false teeth from moving vertically. The larger the denture flanges, the better the support result. Denture flanges are the rims of the denture that expand into the vestibule. Not only providing support, they maintain a natural look to the patient's face where normally the face would sink. To have support, there must be a substantial amount of bone ridge in the area where the teeth were, adequately giving a denture a place to rest.

Stability

• Stability, the second principle describes how well the denture base is made by preventing it from moving in the horizontal plane or from side to side. Proper stability will prevent sliding side to side or front and back. The pink material around the dentures is known as the base. Stability is easier to achieve when the dental base is in smooth and in continuous contact with the ridge in which you used to have teeth. The base fills out the face in addition to giving the denture a permanent, solid place to sit.

Retention

• Retention is the principle explaining how well the denture prevents vertical movement opposite of where it inserts. The better the surface interior of the denture base mimics the bone and tissue denture base, the better retention the denture patient will enjoy.

Considerations

• Ask your dentist to discuss these three principles when inquiring about getting dentures. Not every patient has the chance for a successful outcome. Some patients require assistance obtaining some of the principles of stability. For them, the dentist will have other options, as the optimal treatment is the best goal for long-term success.