Dr. Hall
I got an upper denture but can’t stop gagging. What can I do?
– Teri from Peoria, IL
(See Dr. Hall’s answer below.)
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Teri,
That can be a tough problem, but let me suggest a couple of possible solutions.
The best and easiest solution would be to have an implant-supported denture. A removable denture, to get appropriate suction (because that is what holds it in), has to cover your entire hard palate. An implant-supported denture only needs to cover the gum tissue. So there would be no triggering of the gag reflex.
But, if that is beyond your budget, it may be possible to solve the gagging problem without going to implant support.
Ideally, the base of your denture should extend to the limits of your hard palate, to what we call the “vibrating line,” which is where your soft palate begins. If that makes you gag, it may be possible to get adequate suction without going back that far. A prosthodontist in Lancashire, England, Dr. Finlay Sutton, has published his technique for providing upper dentures to patients with an extreme gagging problem. On the left is his photo of two dentures on plaster casts. The upper shows the denture extended all the way to the vibrating line. The lower photo shows a denture trimmed to be short of that to accommodate patients with a severe gagging problem. It has to be trimmed expertly, because if it is trimmed too much or in the wrong places, it will weaken the suction too much to the point where the denture won’t stay in.It is also possible that your dentist has made your denture to extend onto your soft palate, which is wrong for any patient. If you suspect that is the case (because you normally don’t have a gagging problem), I would get a second opinion.
– Dr. Hall
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About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.