Absolutely Amazing Experience
"The staff here are so kind and explain everything to me and my husband. I have such high anxiety but I felt no flutters or sweating. I just want to thank you for being so kind; keep up the great work."
- Teresa C.
At-Home Denture Maintenance
Life of Dentures
Dentures last for about 5 to 7 years. Dentures wear down and strain with age. Please schedule an appointment with us for a yearly dental checkup. It takes approximately 10 to 14 working days to make a set of dentures.
How to Clean Your Denture
Dentures are fragile, so always have some sort of barrier (towel or water) in the sink to avoid slippage.
Use cool or warm water to rinse your dentures thoroughly in order to remove any loose food particles. Never use hot water.
Place the dentures in appropriate denture cleaner. Follow the instructions that are provided by the denture cleaner.
Soak the dentures for the appropriate amount of time. Then brush all surfaces with a denture brush. Don’t use a toothbrush to clean your denture.
Rinse the dentures well under water to remove all traces of cleaning product.
Denture Care Ltd carries “Renew” which is a professional strength denture cleaner.
What to expect when you place immediate dentures after having your natural teeth removed?
Sore Areas With Dentures
An appointment will be made with us 24-48 hours after your extraction appointment. We request you to not remove your dentures until after this appointment. The initial two to four weeks after extraction and placement of your new dentures are the most crucial and difficult time to adjust to immediate dentures. There will be bleeding and swelling due to the extensive trauma. If you find it necessary to remove your dentures because of excessive soreness, re-insert the dentures 24 hours before your appointment for the adjustment. This will help us identify the pressure areas and adjust the denture accordingly. The number of adjustment visits to the office varies from person to person.
Speaking With Dentures
Speaking with your dentures requires practice and patience. Reading is an effective method of learning how to pronounce words. Practicing words or sounds that seem to give you the most difficulty will help in faster recovery. It will take time for your tongue to learn the different positions necessary to make good speech sounds with your new dentures.
Chewing With Dentures
It will take about six to eight weeks to learn how to chew with your new dentures. At first, limit your diet to soft foods that are easy to chew. Gradually learn to eat foods that are more difficult.
- Cut food into small pieces
- Take small bites and chew slowly
- Learn to chew on both sides of your dentures at the same time
- Train your muscles to assist in keeping your dentures in place
Initially you may not be able to taste food with dentures but you will regain the taste after a period of time. Do not be alarmed at the greater amounts of saliva in your mouth during the first few weeks of wearing your dentures. This condition will correct itself, as you become accustomed to wearing them.
Oral Hygiene With Dentures
You should leave your denture out of your mouth for at least eight hours a day in order to allow the tissues to rest from the pressures placed on them by the dentures. Failure to allow the tissues to rest can result in chronic irritation to the tissues, the development of certain fungal infections and rapid loss of bone.
How to Care for Your Dentures
It is important that your dentures be kept clean. Unclean dentures can result in irritation to the tissue and unpleasant odors. It’s preferable to use a non-abrasive cleanser, as you do not want to alter the surface of the dentures.
Please closely follow the instructions given with the product if you are using a commercial cleanser. These cleansers are not designed for use in the mouth. Typically, the denture should be soaked for a maximum of 20 minutes and rinsed thoroughly before being placed in the mouth again. Dentures should only be soaked overnight in clean water.
Reline
Your dentures may become a little loose and tissue conditioner can be placed as a temporary solution until the tissue has fully healed. It is crucial to have your final permanent reline of dentures about six months to a year after your extraction date. Over the years, the tissue will slowly continue to heal. So it is not uncommon for another reline to be needed years after the initial permanent reline. This varies among patients because people heal differently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I sleep with my dentures?
It is not advisable to sleep with your dentures at night. It will suffocate your gums and cause poor circulation. Your gums need blood flow to stay healthy.
If my denture is loose should I use a paste or powder to keep it in?
Please see your denturist first and as a last resort paste or powder may be advised.
Do I have a say in what color and shape of tooth I get?
Patients do have a say in the appearance, color, shade and size of the tooth during the wax trying stage. During that appointment, the opinion of the patient is heard.
How often should I get a reline?
It depends on whether the patient has lost any weight, health issues and gum resorption. The gums change over time. We recommend a reline every 1-1/2 to 2 years.
Do you do implants at your office?
The surgery procedure to place the implants is done at the dentist office. During the healing process, the denturist can continue to construct the patient their new set of dentures. Once the healing process is complete, the new dentures can have the attachments placed.
If I have missing teeth, should I consider a partial?
Yes, partial dentures are used to assist patients that have only some natural teeth missing. This will help provide the patient with the ability to function with a full set of teeth, and can also enhance esthetics and help prevent the existing natural teeth from migrating.
