Garak-dong Denture Clinic: What to Check If Your Dentures Keep Falling Out!

Welcome.

Garak-dong Dental Clinic, 연세다감치과

I am Seo Ho-yeon, the director.

Many people who have used dentures for a long time mention various inconveniences.

“​​My dentures keep falling out.”

“I think I need to have new dentures made because my current ones do not fit well.”

When making new dentures, the shape of the gums must be accurately recorded from the beginning, and the appropriate height and occlusion for the patient must be checked so that the final result can look and function naturally.

Today, through the case of a patient who visited us because their existing dentures were uncomfortable, I will explain what needs to be checked when making dentures.

(May 19, 2026)

This patient had been continuously using existing dentures.

The photo on the right shows the patient wearing the dentures.

The patient was using a complete denture for the upper jaw, but said that it did not stay in place well and came out easily.

The patient had originally been using a partial denture for the lower jaw, but after additional teeth fractured, the existing denture no longer fit well.

Dentures may feel reasonably well-fitted at first, but over time, they may gradually stop fitting properly if the jawbone decreases, the remaining teeth become loose, or additional teeth are lost.

In particular, partial dentures are often secured by attaching to the remaining teeth. If one of those teeth fractures or falls out, the denture may no longer be held in place as it was before, which can increase discomfort when chewing.

Rather than modifying and continuing to use the patient’s existing dentures, we planned to make new dentures suited to the current gum condition and the structure of the remaining teeth.

The first thing checked when making dentures is the shape of the gums.

This is called a preliminary impression.

Rather than taking the impression used to make the final dentures right away, this is the stage where the shape of the patient’s gums is first assessed and a custom tray is made.

The reason for going through this additional step is that dentures are appliances that need to make broad contact with the gums.

If they are even slightly loose or lifted in one area, the dentures may easily move or come out.

Also, if pressure is not distributed evenly, a specific area may become painful or discomfort may occur when chewing.

Therefore, based on the preliminary impression, a custom tray suited to the patient’s gums is made, and a final impression is taken using this custom tray.

At this stage, we examine not only the shape of the gums but also how far the dentures should extend, which areas are pulled when the lips and cheeks move, and whether there are any areas that feel uncomfortable when the tongue moves.

If the initial impression is not taken properly, it can be difficult for the dentures to fit comfortably no matter how attractively the teeth are arranged later.

That is why I consider this first step the most important part of making dentures.

The photos above show plaster models made from the final impressions.

After accurately taking an impression of the gum shape using the custom tray, plaster is poured into the impression to reproduce the patient’s gum shape as a model.

Because dentures are made based on this model, it is important that the shape of the gums and the area where the dentures should make contact are accurately recorded during the final impression stage.

Next, a temporary framework is prepared based on this information.

This is where the wax rim is used.

What is a wax rim?

Garak-dong Dental Clinic, 연세다감치과

Although it is not yet a denture with the actual teeth arranged, this is an important stage for checking the height and position where the teeth will be placed, as well as the occlusion.

When the wax rim is placed in the mouth, we can check the height at which the upper and lower teeth should meet, whether the length of the face looks natural when the mouth is closed, and whether the chewing reference line appears tilted to one side.

When making dentures, it is important for the teeth to look natural, but before that, the height and direction where the teeth will be placed must be correct.

If the height is too low, the area around the mouth may look sunken, or force may not be transmitted effectively when chewing.

Conversely, if the height is too high, it may be uncomfortable to close the mouth, speech may feel awkward, or there may be a sense of strain around the jaw joint.

At the wax rim stage, we check the height when the patient bites comfortably, the occlusal plane, the midline, and the balance of the lips and face.

When making new dentures, we also record the condition of the existing dentures.

Although long-used dentures may have uncomfortable aspects, they can also provide useful points of reference when making new dentures.

Therefore, for this patient as well, we first checked the patient’s appearance when smiling and the side profile while wearing the existing dentures.

This was to compare which aspects should be maintained and which should be improved in the new dentures.

Afterward, we placed the newly made wax rim in the mouth and evaluated it again.

We looked for a position in which the patient could bite comfortably, checked whether the lips were naturally supported, and examined whether the facial balance looked natural.

The next steps can proceed naturally only when the reference points are properly established at this stage.

To summarize what we have discussed so far, dentures are not a treatment in which a good result is achieved by trying to adjust everything at the end.

The final result depends on establishing the correct 기준 from the beginning.

Garak-dong Dental Clinic, 연세다감치과

If the initial height, occlusion, midline, and occlusal plane are not properly established, it can be difficult for the dentures to fit comfortably in the mouth, no matter how attractively the teeth are arranged later.

That is why, when making dentures, it is important to check each point carefully from the early stages.

Even if it takes a little more time, I make dentures while thoroughly confirming these reference points.

In the next post, I will continue from today’s discussion and explain the process of completing the final dentures.

Thank you for reading this long post.

I hope you have a happy day today as well.

Garak-dong Dental Clinic, 연세다감치과

[Naver Appointment Booking]

[연세다감치과 Website]

[연세다감치과 KakaoTalk Consultation Channel]

Garak-dong Dental Clinic, 연세다감치과