P O S T-P L A C E M E N T     P R O B L E M     S O L V I N G

 


PROBLEMS RELATED TO SOFT TISSUE

Complaints/area

Causes

Treatments


Sore spots - mandible
 

Peripheral areas

 

 

Overextension

Adjust denture accordingly

Unpolished or sharp edge

Polish denture borders

Herpetic or apthous ulcer

Leave denture out as much as possible and wait 7-10 days

Crest of ridge

 

 

 

Bone spicules

Identify the area in denture with pressure – indicating paste and provide relief over spicule and/or surgically remove spicule

Spinous ridge crest

Provide relief in the denture

Pressure spots at time of impression

Use PIP or indelible pencil to determine the areas and adjust accordingly

Occlusal prematurities

Correct occlusal defects, recheck vertical dimension and clinical remount

Side of ridge-anterior area

 

 Overextension

Use pressure indicating paste and adjust denture border involved

Maximum intercuspation not in harmony with centric relation

 Enlarge centric area; grind mesial inclined planes of maxillary teeth and distal inclined planes of mandibular teeth using a clinical remount

Side of ridge-bicuspid area

 

 

 

 Lingual tori ( nonyielding areas)

Provide adequate relief in denture base

Pressure spots at time of impression

Adjust denture accordingly

 Shrinkage of denture during

processing ( dimensional changes)

Rebase denture

Error in occlusion - occlusal prematurities

Check occlusion on the opposite side of arch from the sore spot

Pressure on mental foramen if ridge is greatly resorbed Provide adequate relief
Side of ridge-posterior area Overextension in lateral throat area Shorten posterior of lingual flange
Error in occlusion Check teeth diagonally across the arch from the sore area
Spinous projection of mylohyoid ridge distolaterally ( feeling of sore throat) Correct undercut surgically; you must under extend the denture.  Relieve denture if not severe
Overextension in anterior area (causes rotation of distal flanges) Adjust peripheral overextension
Under lingual flange Maximum intercuspation not in harmony with centric relation (drives mandibular denture forward) Enlarge centric area and adjust local area-
Under labial flange Excessive overbite Adjust anterior occlusion
Habit- mastication in protrusive relation Train patient to masticate in centric
Generalized soreness and redness Heavy biting force- strong musculature Reduce buccolingual width of teeth; reduce vertical dimension; use soft lining if necessary
Excessive vertical dimension of occlusion Reduce vertical dimension
Locked occlusion Enlarge centric area
Failure to provide freedom for Bennett movement (soreness usually on working side Reduce cusps to a nonanatomical plane or reset teeth
Improperly processed base material Rebase denture


Sore spots -
maxilla
 

Peripheral areas Overextension Adjust denture accordingly
Unpolished or sharp edge Polish denture borders
Herpetic or apthous ulcer Leave denture out as much as possible for 7-10 days
Maxillary frenum Overextension Open a V-shaped notch for the labial frenum and widen the buccal frenum areas
Posterior border of denture Sharp edge at the post dam area Adjust sharp edge slightly without reducing dam area
Midline of denture Prominent midsuture or torus maxillaries Provide some relief over the area


Generalized discomfort
 

Improper occlusion Correct occlusion (clinical reline)
Maximum intercuspation not in harmony with centric relation Enlarge centric area (clinical reline)
Excessive vertical dimension of occlusion Reduce vertical dimension (clinical reline)


Burning sensation
 

Maxillary anterior hard palate and anterior alveolar ridge area Pressure on anterior palatine foramen Relieve area over foramen
Maxillary bicuspid area or molar tuberosity Pressure on posterior palatine foramen Relieve area over foramen
Mandibular anterior region Pressure on mental foramen Relieve area over foramen
Generalized Improperly processed Reline denture; replace as much as possible base material with new acrylic resin
Tongue Allergic reaction xerostoma


Redness
 

Fiery redness - All tissue contacted by denture including tongue and cheeks Denture base allergy (very unusual) Remake denture and use all metal base (after allergy test)
Bearing tissues Ill-fitting denture, Avitaminosis Remake or rebase dentures. Employ vitamin therapy regimen


Tongue and cheek biting
 

Thin or under extended periphery (base material does not provide enough support for the cheek) Build out thin areas, or extend the short periphery
Insufficient interarch clearance between distal parts of denture bases Thin maxillary denture over tuberosity; if more space is required, remove it from the retromolar area of the mandibular denture
Inadequate amount of horizontal overlap in molar region Re-contour buccal surface of mandibular molars and bicuspids; eliminate the tight contact of the maxillary buccal cusps on the mandibular buccal surfaces


Pain in TMJ
 

Insufficient vertical dimension of occlusion Increase vertical dimension of occlusion
Maximum intercuspation not in harmony with centric relation Make new occlusal record, regrind and remount occlusion
Arthritis Treat with analgesics
Trauma Treat with analgesics


Gagging
 

Immediately upon insertion Maxillary denture overextended or too thick in posterior border Adjust denture or thin posterior border
Lack of retention Reline denture
Mandibular denture too thick in distolingual flange Reduce thickness or distolingual flange
Delay (2 weeks - 2 months after insertion) Incomplete border seal allowing saliva under denture Increase border seal with self-curing acrylic resin ( possibly at the posterior palatal border
Improper occlusion causing denture to loosen and allowing saliva under denture Correct occlusion (clinical remount)


Deafness
 

Excessive vertical dimension of occlusion Excessive vertical dimension of occlusion


Fatigue of the muscles of mastication
 

Excessive vertical dimension of occlusion Reduce vertical dimension of occlusion
Insufficient vertical dimension of occlusion Increase vertical dimension of occlusion

 

 

 


PROBLEMS RELATED TO FUNCTION

Complaints/area

Causes

Treatments


Instability
 

Looseness of mandibular denture Error in occlusion (maximum intercuspation not in harmony with centric relation) Correct faulty occlusion by remount and regrind procedure
Occlusion plane too high Reset teeth at a lower plane
Underextension of periphery (inadequate impression) Rebase denture providing proper extension
Inability of patient to master denture Use denture  adhesives to help develop skill in handling denture ( for a short time only)
Tongue position (retracted tongue)  
Looseness of maxillary denture Occasionally Underextension in some area Correct with self-curing acrylic resin; first check with compound for diagnostic purpose
Faulty occlusion Correct Occlusion
Overextension of peripheries Adjust denture accordingly
Dehydration of tissue due to alcoholism Remove cause
Displacement of flabby tissues when making impression Correct surgically; modify impression technique to change primary denture stress-bearing area to the buccal shelf
When eating on either side Nonyeilding area in hard palate (ridge tissue yields under chewing stresses; denture rocks on hard area Provide relief chamber over non-yielding area
Incorrect tooth position (teeth may beset too far buccally off ridge Rebalance in lateral excursions; reset teeth where nature should have had them
Chewing resistant foods Instruct patient to maintain soft diet until mouth is conditioned to wearing denture
Approximately every 2 hours Heavy mucinous saliva Prescribe astringent mouthwashes and regular scrubbing of dentures; reduction of carbohydrate
Incorrect tooth position ( teeth may be set too far buccally and labially Correct surgically; change primary denture stress -bearing  area to the buccal shelf
Improper incising habits Train patient to masticate in centric relation
Loss of posterior palatal seal (seal on hard palate; posterior limit not in hamular notches; insufficient valve seal) Increase postpalatal seal with self-curing acrylic resin; first use compound as a diagnostic aid
When yawning or opening wide Denture base too thick in buccal posterior area (coronoid process exerts forward and downward force on posterior of denture upon opening) Reduce thickness of denture base
Overextended in hamular notch Shorten denture until pterygomaxillary ligament does not exert tension on posterior border when mouth is opened wide
Inadequate posterior palatal seal Increase postpalatal seal with self-curing acrylic resin
When talking Inadequate posterior palatal seal Increase postpalatal seal with self-curing acrylic resin
Overextended in posterior region Shorten posterior until soft palate does not lift upward and break contact with the denture base
When occluding in centric relation Improper occlusion Correct occlusion
Poor denture foundation  (flabby tissues over ridge) Correct surgically; change primary denture stress-bearing area to the buccal shelf
Incorrect tooth position (teeth set too far buccally) Reset teeth
Maximum intercuspation not in harmony with centric region Enlarge centric area
Nonyielding area in hard plate Provide relief in area
Only a feeling of looseness (support and retention are present yet denture feels suspended in mouth Large area of nonyeilding tissue in hard plate Provide relief chamber, adequate to permit denture to be properly seated


Interference
 

When swallowing Maxillary denture too thick or over-extended in posterior region Reduce thickness or adjust posterior
Mandibular denture too thick or overextended in posterior lingual flange area Reduce thickness or adjust posterior lingual flange area
Insufficient vertical dimension of occlusion Reduce vertical dimension
Excessive vertical dimension of occlusion Reduce vertical dimension
Incorrect tooth position (posterior teeth set too far lingually - tongue crowded Reset teeth
Clicking Excessive vertical dimension of occlusion Reduce vertical dimension
Ill-fitting dentures New dentures
Overextended lower dentures Reduce peripheral length

 


PROBLEMS RELATED TO ESTHETICS
 

Complaints Causes Treatments
Fullness under nose Labial flange of denture too long or too thick Reduce length or thickness of labial flange
Depressed philtrum Labial flange of mandibular denture too short Increase length or thickness of labial flange
Upper lip sunken in Maxillary anterior teeth set too far lingually Reset anterior teeth labially
Too much of the teeth are exposed Excessive vertical dimension of occlusion Reduce the vertical dimension of occlusion
Incisal plane too low Reset teeth at higher plane
Cupids and lateral incisors too prominent Adjust accordingly
Artificial appearance Technique setup (teeth are too regular in alignment) Individualize by rotating and shortening some teeth
All teeth in same shape Choose different but complimentary shades; use staining techniques
Lack of individualization of teeth Grind incisal edges and angles
Lack of individualization of denture base Individualize gingival contour and color of denture base

 


PROBLEMS RELATED TO PHONETICS
 

Complaints Causes Treatments
Whistle on "S" sounds Air stream passes unimpeded or with inadequate impedance between the dorsal surface of the tongue and the anterior palate Increase the palatal resin convex contours  lingual to the maxillary central incisors to impede the air stream passing between the tongue and palate.  Create rugae if necessary
Lisp on "S" sounds The air stream passing between the tongue and anterior palate is excessively impeded, usually by rugae or excessive resin contour Reduce occlusal vertical dimension until premolars no longer contact during speech
Maxillary & Mandibular incisors or premolars contact during sibilant (s, sh, z, ch) sounds Occlusal vertical dimension too great Reduce occlusal vertical dimension until premolars no longer contact during speech
Clinician observes that incisal edges of maxillary incisors contact the lower lip 1 mm or more labial to the wet/dry junction of lower lip when "F" & "V" sounds are made Maxillary teeth may be set too far labially Evaluate lip support and overall appearance of anterior teeth as they are positioned.  Reset to a more lingual postiion as needed.  incisal edge of maxillary incisiors should contact the wet dry junction ro just lingual to it during production of the "F" & "V" sounds.