How to File Down Dentures
Know the risks., Try a nail file., File off tags with a rotary tool., Try dental adhesives., Put your dentures in the freezer., Try a pain cream., Remove your dentures.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know the risks.
If you try to file your dentures yourself, you risk damaging them beyond repair.
As dentures are expensive, you risk losing a large amount of money if you try filing them yourself.
It's always best to ask your prosthodontist or dentist to adjust them., Some people do not like the length of certain teeth on their dentures, and they use a nail file for this purpose.
Lightly rub it against the teeth you want to shorten, filing on the point or edge of the tooth.
However, be sure to make small adjustments.
You don't want to go too far when filing your teeth because it's difficult and expensive to repair them after you've filed too far.As you file them down, keep stopping to check how far you've filed.
Try not to go to far.
Clean the dentures before putting them back in your mouth and checking your adjustments. , Sometimes, your dentures will dig into your gums because they don't fit properly.
They may also have small tags leftover from manufacturing.
Some people use rotary tools to make adjustments.
Make sure to keep it on a very low rotation.
The heat of a high rotation may damage your dentures, although any kind of repair can damage your dentures.Identify where the problem is.
When you have the dentures in, pinpoint exactly where they dig into your gums.
Try to be very precise and gentle.
Take them out of your mouth.
Use the rotary tool to gently rub against that area, filing it down.
Make sure to only take away a little at a time.
Be sure to clean the dentures before putting them back in your mouth and testing the adjustment.
You can use a fingernail drill, for instance, or a crafting rotary tool.
Use a bit that will let you sand off edges, such as a round- or oval-shaped bit. , When you first get dentures, your mouth needs time to adjust to the new teeth.
To help your mouth out, you can use dental adhesives to hold them in place for the first few days.
Eventually, though, the muscles in your mouth should adjust to keep your dentures in place, so you should only need to use them for a short time.
Adhesive is helpful when you have pain as it holds your denture still in your mouth.
Movement against an already sore spot will lead to an ulcer.
You an also use adhesives as a temporary measure when they start to become loose after years of wearing.
However, you need to have your dentist reline your dentures when they become loose, so you should only use the glue for a short while.Every adhesive is a bit different.
However, in general, you take the dentures out of your mouth and clean them.
Shake some of the powder onto the gum side of the dentures.
Put your dentures back in.
Cream adhesive must be applied to a dry denture in order to work, rinse your mouth and then place denture onto a wet gum and wait five minutes before eating or drinking anything. , One option some people use for helping to relieve pain, especially with new dentures, is to place them in the freezer.
When you take them out, the cold will help soothe the pain in your gums., Creams such as benzocaine topical can provide temporary relief from pain.
Simply rub the cream on the painful area in your mouth, and it will numb the pain.
Baby teething gel is available in most supermarkets.
There are much stronger medications available, but if cost is a problem, or accessibility, then the baby gel is a good option.
It is very safe and gives reasonable relief to sore spots on your gums., If other options don't help, go ahead and take your dentures out for a bit.
That will at least provide pain relief.
See your dentist for help. -
Step 2: Try a nail file.
-
Step 3: File off tags with a rotary tool.
-
Step 4: Try dental adhesives.
-
Step 5: Put your dentures in the freezer.
-
Step 6: Try a pain cream.
-
Step 7: Remove your dentures.
Detailed Guide
If you try to file your dentures yourself, you risk damaging them beyond repair.
As dentures are expensive, you risk losing a large amount of money if you try filing them yourself.
It's always best to ask your prosthodontist or dentist to adjust them., Some people do not like the length of certain teeth on their dentures, and they use a nail file for this purpose.
Lightly rub it against the teeth you want to shorten, filing on the point or edge of the tooth.
However, be sure to make small adjustments.
You don't want to go too far when filing your teeth because it's difficult and expensive to repair them after you've filed too far.As you file them down, keep stopping to check how far you've filed.
Try not to go to far.
Clean the dentures before putting them back in your mouth and checking your adjustments. , Sometimes, your dentures will dig into your gums because they don't fit properly.
They may also have small tags leftover from manufacturing.
Some people use rotary tools to make adjustments.
Make sure to keep it on a very low rotation.
The heat of a high rotation may damage your dentures, although any kind of repair can damage your dentures.Identify where the problem is.
When you have the dentures in, pinpoint exactly where they dig into your gums.
Try to be very precise and gentle.
Take them out of your mouth.
Use the rotary tool to gently rub against that area, filing it down.
Make sure to only take away a little at a time.
Be sure to clean the dentures before putting them back in your mouth and testing the adjustment.
You can use a fingernail drill, for instance, or a crafting rotary tool.
Use a bit that will let you sand off edges, such as a round- or oval-shaped bit. , When you first get dentures, your mouth needs time to adjust to the new teeth.
To help your mouth out, you can use dental adhesives to hold them in place for the first few days.
Eventually, though, the muscles in your mouth should adjust to keep your dentures in place, so you should only need to use them for a short time.
Adhesive is helpful when you have pain as it holds your denture still in your mouth.
Movement against an already sore spot will lead to an ulcer.
You an also use adhesives as a temporary measure when they start to become loose after years of wearing.
However, you need to have your dentist reline your dentures when they become loose, so you should only use the glue for a short while.Every adhesive is a bit different.
However, in general, you take the dentures out of your mouth and clean them.
Shake some of the powder onto the gum side of the dentures.
Put your dentures back in.
Cream adhesive must be applied to a dry denture in order to work, rinse your mouth and then place denture onto a wet gum and wait five minutes before eating or drinking anything. , One option some people use for helping to relieve pain, especially with new dentures, is to place them in the freezer.
When you take them out, the cold will help soothe the pain in your gums., Creams such as benzocaine topical can provide temporary relief from pain.
Simply rub the cream on the painful area in your mouth, and it will numb the pain.
Baby teething gel is available in most supermarkets.
There are much stronger medications available, but if cost is a problem, or accessibility, then the baby gel is a good option.
It is very safe and gives reasonable relief to sore spots on your gums., If other options don't help, go ahead and take your dentures out for a bit.
That will at least provide pain relief.
See your dentist for help.
About the Author
Kimberly Hughes
Brings years of experience writing about practical skills and related subjects.
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