Inflammation under a denture occurs when the existing removable denture does not fit properly. Often the prosthesis then presses more strongly on the gums underneath in one place, resulting in a so-called pressure point. The affected area reddens and swells slightly. If nothing is done against it, the region continues to become inflamed and blisters or open spots on the skin may occur. This leads to burning pain as soon as the prosthesis is loaded during chewing.
Causes
The cause of an inflammation underneath a prosthesis is often the poor fit of the prosthesis. With a new prosthesis, the poor fit is usually caused by errors in taking an impression of the prosthesis. With old, previously fitting prostheses, the cause is age-related bone remodeling.
Due to the lack of own teeth, the bone has a tendency to recede and decays over the years, which means that even a once perfectly fitting prosthesis can sit loosely after some time and press in various places. Other reasons can be: denture plastic chipped off (because the denture has fallen off), heavy soiling of the denture because it is not cleaned often enough. Most causes of a non-matching prosthesis are harmless, but in isolated cases tumors, i.e. cancerous growths of the mucous membrane, can also cause inflammation under a prosthesis.
Pressure marks
Pressure sores are the most common complaint after the insertion of a prosthesis. In contrast to the gums, plastic is very hard and therefore, once it has a shape, it can no longer cling to the gums and bone. However, the jaw ridge and gums adapt to the new prosthesis a little.
However, this only happens within a certain framework. If the prosthesis is incorrectly loaded due to incorrect tooth contact or if a spot in the plastic protrudes, the gums are permanently loaded in one spot. Over time, this constant pressure leads to pain and a sore spot in the mouth. This is called a pressure point. By removing this pressure, the complaints usually heal within a few days.
