Allergies and Dentures
If your are a fist time denture wearer going through your initial adaptation period you may well feel as if you are allergic to the new sensations you are experiencing. For most any discomfort or awkwardness will resolve with only a couple of weeks of consistent wear. There are however rare cases where a patient is truly allergic to the materials their denture has been constructed with or allergic to materials used in the clinic
Latex Gloves: Latex rubber gloves worn by practitioners while working in your mouth have been known to cause reactions for some patients, generally a burning sensation on the areas of tissue being contacted. There are alternate types of gloves available made of plastic which will often resolve the problem. I had one patient claim she was sensitive to all glove materials and would only allow me to work on her with well-scrubbed bare hands.
Denture Acrylics: Fortunately this is a very rare happening where a patient is allergic to the pink acrylic denture base. Some types of cold or fast cure acrylics have been known to release more monomers, which can be an irritant. However occasionally a patient can be allergic to long heat cure acrylics as well. The symptoms range from a general burning sensation on all tissue in contact with the denture to down right pain and inflammation within an hour of insertion.
Many years ago vulcanite bases where much more common and where often the solution. However now a days one would have to really go on a search to find a laboratory still processing dentures this way. There are also some new vinyl type bases making their way into the market and possibly these may prove beneficial for some.
Metals: Most partial dentures are constructed with chrome cobalt alloy metal, which has been known to cause reactions for certain patients. Often having the partial re cast of a different combination of alloys will bring comfort. In some cases designing the partial with no metal at all is necessary. Metal free partial denture designs are becoming more popular as many patients prefer less visual vinyl or plastic clasps.
Soft Linings: Many soft liner materials have a silicone or rubber component which for most is no issue. However if you experience symptoms of burning or general discomfort on your tissues that come in contact with a new lining you may want to discuss the possibility of an allergy with your dental provider.
Odors in the Office: The faint smell of disinfectant or sterilizing solutions is one we all recognize as the part of the environment in medical and dental offices. For a few it may be displeasing but for most of us it just goes with the territory.
I did encounter one gentleman who barely stepped into the waiting room, turned around and shot back out the door. From there he motioned my receptionist to come out side. Sandy somewhat bewildered went out to see what the problem was. It turned out he would apparently have some form of allergic reaction whenever inside dental or medical offices. Fortunately the work he required was very limited and on a warm sunny day I was able to accommodate him on our doorstep.