6 things to expect after new dentures

So, you have received your new set of dentures to replace your missing teeth or are planning to have one. If this is your first full denture, there are few things you should keep in mind when you will start using the new denture.

There are two ways you could have dentures made.

1. One is immediate denture, which is inserted straight after teeth extraction.
2. The other is when you have denture after your gums have completely healed.

Either way there are things you should know about your dentures.

With an immediate denture, as dentures are inserted straight after extractions, it can cause sore spots and ulcers and can cause postoperative discomfort. Dentures may need adjustment during this period.

Also due to the rapid gum shrinkage that occurs within the first few months after extractions, you will go through periods of a loose-fitting denture. Following the healing period (3-6 months post extraction), a relining will need to be performed to make the denture fit properly.

The following are the main points you need to keep in mind.

1) Initial adjustment period with dentures is important.

You must realise that dentures are a replacement for having no teeth at all but they do not function the same way as natural teeth. It needs to be understood that you will have to go through adjustment phase every time you have new denture especially if you wearing denture for first time.

The following factors can cause difficulty in adjusting to new dentures:

• Fragile gum tissues which cannot bear the pressures placed upon them resulting in excessive tenderness and sore spots.
• Jaw ridges which may not provide adequate support and/or retention.
• Musculature in the tongue, floor of the mouth, cheeks, etc. which may not adapt to and be able to accommodate the artificial appliances.
• Excessive gag reflexes
• Excessive saliva or excessive dryness of mouth
• General psychological and/or physical problems interfering with success

2) Full dentures are made up of acrylic.

One thing is acrylic is plastic and prone to breaking. Due to the types of materials which are necessary in the construction of dentures, breakage may occur even though the materials used were not defective.

It can be due to but not limited to:

• Chewing on foods or objects which are excessively hard.
• Gum tissue shrinkage which causes excessive pressure to be exerted unevenly on the dentures.
• Deep bite
• Cracks which may be unnoticeable and which occurred previously from causes such as those mentioned above or the dentures having been dropped or damaged previously.
• Dropping denture.
• Keep in mind, acrylic likes moisture. While the denture is in the mouth, it is moist  but when it is out of the mouth, it should be placed in water and tablets like steradent are used for cleaning.

3) Important to keep dentures clean. Other thing to keep cleaning for dentures, cleaning tables, polyydent , brushing

4) Although there are no teeth in mouth but it is still important to see dentist regularly. It is important to have gums and bones checked regularly to assess for oral cancer.

5) Life span of denture. Average life span of dentures is 5 -7 years.

Loose Dentures: Dentures normally become looser when there are changes in the supporting gum tissues as dentures themselves do not change unless subjected to extreme heat or dryness.

6) Some general tips

• Allergies: to dental materials used for dentures over which we do not have any control.
• Speech and Taste: Removable dentures cover areas of the jaws and palate that are not normally covered which may need adaptation of the tongue and lips for proper speech, which may require some time to get used to.
• Dentures may affect the taste of food, especially if the dentures are not properly cleaned.
• Food Impaction: Food may get under denture as there may be minor space between denture and gum and due to movement of denture.
• Therefore, it is essential to remove the denture for cleaning on a periodic, daily basis.
• Numb lip: May occur from the pressure of the removable denture. This problem requires selective adjustment and in rare cases, a nerve might need surgical repositioning.
• Appearance: Every attempt is made to create a natural appearance for the denture; however, it may not be possible for the denture to support the lips and facial contours perfectly.

So is it time to schedule the next step and finally get those dentures? Give us a call today to book your appointment!

The simple answer to this question is “YES”. Perhaps the more important question to ask is: ‘Why it is important to replace missing teeth?’ The body, as we have been led to believe, is more than the sum of its parts and all parts must function properly for the body to thrive. This is true because if the stomach is upset, then the whole body feels ill. This is the same with the mouth, gums and teeth. After all, the fewer teeth you have, the harder it is to chew your food.

The truth of the matter is that when a tooth is missing, certain things begin to happen. The opposite tooth will begin to grow into the space. So if you lost a top tooth, its opposing tooth on the bottom jaw would grow up in a process called extrusion or super eruption into the space. The teeth on either side of the gap would also slide off their axis, leaning at odd angles. This makes proper cleaning very difficult which could lead to further decay of the surrounding teeth, leading to more teeth being extracted, and so the downward spiral goes.

But this is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. If the lost tooth is not replaced other more serious things begin to happen. Your gums can begin to recede, exposing the root structures of surrounding teeth that can cause them to become terribly sensitive and more prone to decay themselves. This is still not the worst thing that can happen if multiple teeth are missing.

What occurs when more teeth are lost is that you can lose arch. What this means is that you lose distance between the back of the last tooth on one side of your mouth and its opposite number on the other side. This causes your bite to collapse and the distance between your chin and nose to lessen making your face shrink. Your cheeks then slide into the hollows making you look much older than you are.

But all of this can be avoided! There are many options available nowadays to replace lost teeth on time before any of the things mentioned can happen.  In fact, replacing lost teeth with dental implants has been the treatment method of choice for over 40 years. Dental implants use titanium screws inserted into the jawbone to anchor false teeth in place. This method looks natural but is only one of options open to you.

Another option available is, you can have a fixed replacement like a porcelain crown and bridge or an over-denture or conventional dentures.  For crown and bridge, a crown is fixed into the space your original tooth occupied with little or no fuss. These porcelain teeth can be made to resemble your other teeth, ensuring that the cap is not noticeable and looks natural. Dentures would be used in more severe cases where a lot of teeth needed to be replaced. They would be fitted to your mouth being anchored by the adjacent teeth. But with all these options open to you, you can always ensure that you have a lovely radiant smile once again.

By choosing to replace lost teeth it may turn out to be a little pricey and not all dental procedures are covered by health insurance. But in the long run it works out much cheaper to replace one tooth than a whole mouth of now rotten or missing teeth.