Could I be allergic to the new dentures I got last month? Could it be the acrylic or something else? I have new upper and lower dentures that fit better than any I’ve worn for the past 12 years, but I am worried about being allergic to them. After wearing the dentures all day, my eyes were swollen, and so were my glands. I removed and soaked the dentures overnight. On the second day, the swelling worsened. I don’t know why I wore the dentures a third day because I was miserable. I developed sinusitis, and my throat began to swell.
I figured I had allergy symptoms, so I stopped wearing the dentures and took Benadryl. I saw my ophthalmologist for what became an eye infection, and she agreed that my symptoms seemed to be related to an allergic reaction. I am embarrassed that I tried the dentures again and had the same eye, gland, and throat swelling symptoms. I’m finished trying to make the dentures work. Will I need a second opinion for new dentures? – Thanks. Bethany from CT
Bethany,
Yes, it sounds like you are allergic to your new dentures. Your decision not to wear them again is wise. Allergic reactions that cause swelling in your throat can be life-threatening.
What Should You Do If You’re Allergic to Dentures?
If you are allergic to your dentures, visit an allergist for testing. Identifying which materials in the denture cause a reaction can help your dentist to understand which materials to use or avoid when making your new denture.
Denture materials
- Denture base – A denture base is processed from a liquid (monomer) acrylic that the lab hardens to make the denture base.
- Hardening process – Hardening the acrylic changes it to a solid (polymer).
The process leaves leftover liquid (monomer) that can cause some patients’ reactions. If allergic testing reveals that you are allergic to liquid acrylic, a dental lab can immerse the denture in hot water for several hours. You can read details in a 2015 European Journal of Dentistry issue on allergic reactions to residual denture monomer.
An alternative is for your dentist to consult the dental laboratory to make your denture with a different material, such as resin. Although you are otherwise happy with your new denture, a new resin denture can prevent uncomfortable and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions.
Before getting a second opinion for new dentures, consult an allergist to identify which materials may be causing the allergic reaction and your symptoms.
David Finley, DDS, a Monroe, Louisiana, accredited cosmetic dentist and Academy of General Dentistry Fellow, sponsors this post. Read about what Dr. Finley and his team do to provide some of the best dental care in Monroe.
