We are pleased to provide you with well-fitting, functional and aesthetically pleasing dentures. We feel confident that after a few weeks of adjustment, you will enjoy years of satisfaction and use. In the meantime, the following is information you need to know.
- Your First Few Weeks. New dentures always feel strange when first placed in your mouth. Several days or even a few weeks will be required for you to feel accustomed to them.
- Sore Spots. Your mouth will most likely develop a few sore spots within the first 24 hours of wearing your dentures. This is to be expected and such sore spots can be easily relieved by your doctor. An initial 24-hour re-adjustment appointment should be made, and another appointment about a week later will usually eliminate any other sore spots.
- Chewing. Your new “bite” may not feel comfortable for a period of days. We will adjust the contacting surfaces of your teeth after 24 hours, and again in about one week after the dentures have “settled” into place.
- Upper vs. Lower Dentures. Your upper denture will rest comfortably in place with moderate-to-strong “suction”. Although your lower denture will have good stability, it is infrequent that “suction” can be expected on a lower denture. We suggest that you avoid denture adhesives unless you have extreme difficulty.
- Caring for Your Dentures and Your Mouth. Your dentures can be cleaned easily by using a denture brush and toothpaste. Clean them over a sink full of water to avoid damage if they are dropped. Denture soaking solutions are also useful for your dentures. Brush your gums with a soft-bristled toothbrush once per day to toughen and clean them. You may leave the dentures in or out of your mouth at night, depending on your preference. If they are out of your mouth, ALWAYS leave them soaking in water or mouthwash solution. Dentures will become brittle if left exposed to air.
- The Future. Your jawbones and gum shrink up to 1/32 of an inch per year when your teeth are missing. This is one of the main disadvantages of dentures. Because of this shrinkage, you should plan to have your dentures and oral tissues evaluated by us at least once per year. We will inform you when relining or rebasing of the dentures is necessary. Wearing ill-fitting dentures for too long without refitting can cause severe bone loss and very serious oral disease. Even dentures that “fit” comfortably need to be checked along with your tissues.
We look forward to helping you adjust to and enjoy your new dentures!