50+ Lifestyles

Do You Hate Your Dentures?

By David Botsko, DMD
I-Smile Silver Community Partner
Botsko Family Dentistry & Dentures

If you have ever had your old dentures replaced and experienced frustration because you didn’t get the outcome that you desired, this message is for you. Have you gone through having your old dentures replaced only to have the new ones feel uncomfortable or even not be able to eat with them? After all, if the new ones are supposed to be better fitting and fix the things that made the old ones annoying, why are you having trouble with the new ones?

I treated patients for about ten years attempting to treat denture patients the way I was taught in dental school. Although some cases were successful, often times I had problems with patient satisfaction, which for me, became a mystery of sorts. My desire to solve these problems resulted in me altering my techniques to create a system that has worked well in my hands.

Some of the patient complaints that I have worked with are:

• Lower dentures that are not comfortable
• Lower dentures that won’t stay down
• Upper dentures that “won’t stick,”
•  Dentures that you can’t get used to
• Dentures that do not feel right  (but you can’t quite say why).

Often times cases such as these are referred to a specialist and treated with dentures that are held in place by implants. Implants can overpower certain problems and under some circumstances would be a very good solution. My experience has shown me that fewer cases require implants, and that a standard denture will often be chosen.

If you are thinking about replacing your old dentures, it is important to know what you are hoping to achieve with new ones. As a dentist who works with many denture patients, I have learned to help them understand what can and cannot be accomplished with a new denture. I strive to explore how we can make a new denture better while maintaining the good things about the old denture. In a nutshell, we must make subtle corrections, yet make changes that achieve better looks, maximum comfort and help the denture stay in place. It often takes time and patience to get the best results, but in my experience, it is well worth it!

If you are considering dentures, I hope you’ll call us. We have satisfied hundreds of people locally. Feel free to check out our
website www.qcdentalcare.com for patient reviews.

David L Botsko, DMD is a practicing dentist at 2334 W. Kimberly Road, Davenport, IA 52806. To make an appointment call 563-386-8300.