Ulery Dental & OrthodonticsUlery Dental & Orthodontics

If you’ve lost all of your natural teeth, whether from periodontal disease, tooth decay, or injury, complete dentures can restore your missing teeth—and your smile. Replacing missing teeth will benefit not only your appearance, but also your health.

You’ll be able to eat and speak with confidence—two things that many people take for granted until their natural teeth are prematurely lost. A complete denture replaces natural teeth and provides support for cheeks and lips. Without support from the denture, facial muscles sag, making a person appear older.

There are various types of complete dentures. A conventional complete denture is made and placed in the patient’s mouth after the teeth have been removed and tissues have healed. The gums, palate, and mouth muscles support this type of denture. Comparatively, in an implant-supported complete denture, the dentures are supported by surgically placed posts.

Some patients may have the option to get immediate dentures. These dentures are made before the remaining teeth are removed. Once the denture has been made at the lab, and is ready for you at your dentist’s office, the dentist removes your teeth and the denture is placed right away. With immediate dentures, the patient doesn’t have to go without teeth during the healing time. Once healing is complete, the dentures may need to be adjusted or relined. Sometimes a new denture may need to be made.

What can I expect after getting new dentures?

New dentures may feel odd or uncomfortable for the first few weeks. This is normal. Keep wearing your dentures until you get used to them. The lower one may feel especially loose until the muscles of your cheeks and tongue learn to hold it in place. You may have extra saliva for a short time. Some soreness should be expected for the first week or two. Your dentist will check on your progress and make any adjustments needed to make you more comfortable.

When you replace missing teeth, eating is easier – but it takes practice. Here are a few tips t0 help:

• Begin by eating soft foods cut into small pieces
• Chew on both sides of the mouth to keep the pressure even
• Do not eat very sticky or hard foods or chew gum

Will I sound funny after getting my dentures?

You will need to practice talking with your new dentures. Try reading out loud and repeating tricky words in front of a mirror. Talk slowly to prevent muffled speech. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll become.

What if my dentures fall out?

If your dentures slip out of place when you laugh, cough, or smile, bite down and swallow to reposition them.

Should I wear my dentures all the time?

When you get new dentures, your dentist may tell you to wear them most of the time. After the adjustment period, dentures should not be worn 24 hours a day. Your dentist may tell you to take out the denture at bedtime and put it back in when you wake up. Do not wear dentures around the clock because tissues that are covered with denture material all the time can become irritated.

How do I care for dentures?

Like natural teeth, dentures require daily oral hygiene. Here are some tips to care for your dentures:

• Clean your denture each day. Take it out of your mouth and carefully rinse off any loose food particles. Wet the brush and put the denture cleaner on it. Brush all surfaces gently to keep from damaging the plastic base.
• It is best to use a special brush made for cleaning dentures, but you can also use a toothbrush with soft bristles.
• A liquid soap can be very effective when used with a denture brush. However, toothpaste should not be used to clean dentures. Some toothpastes have abrasive particles that can damage the denture base and teeth.
• Your denture is very delicate and can break if dropped even a few inches on a hard surface. Stand over a folded towel or a sink filled with cool water when holding your denture.
• Keep your denture in water when you’re not wearing it. Don’t let it dry out or it can lose its shape.