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.
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:
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:
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
So is it time to schedule the next step and finally get those dentures? Give us a call today to book your appointment!
It is not uncommon for children to have toothaches and many times, it is stressful for both the child and the parents to deal with. Taking children to the dentist can be stressful as parents prepare themselves for their tears and tantrums but it does not have to be like that!
There are ways to make dental appointments less scary!
The foundation for a less daunting dental experience has to be laid at young age for children .As parents, we are used to helping our kids to overcome their fears and phobias but the main problem parents find with dental is how to help a child with their fear if you find it hard to conquer it yourself.
If this problem is not dealt in a timely manner, it can be difficult for a child in the long term to overcome this fear.
It is a good idea to use some of the following tips to take your kid on the road of healthy teeth.
Having to pay a large dental bill can be very frustrating and stressful for many people on a low, middle or fixed income. While many people save money to cover medical expenses, dental work often isn’t included in those savings; which puts dental health at the backbench. This further leads to worsening of the situation and loss of teeth, smile, confidence and self-esteem for a person. After the eyes, the smile is considered to be the feature that enhances our facial aesthetics. It should be no more difficult to pay for your dental bill then paying for two coffees per week from a café or your visit to the hairdresser every few months.
So if dental care is managed well, then it should not be expensive. In fact, dentistry is not expensive, neglect is.
Tips to manage dental bills:
Yes, there would be cases where teeth are already in poor shape due to neglect over a period of time. In that case, just the preventive approach may not fit.
You can finance dental work for both necessary procedures such as cavities root canals, dentures as well as cosmetic dental work such as teeth whitening.
In a nutshell, the situation is not as hopeless as most of you would think. Most dental surgeries do have payment plans available to help you to bring your oral health on track. With these mostly interest-free payment plans, you can reduce the burden of your dental treatment and pay over regular instalments.
If you have been a long-standing patient at your dental office or if you have a payment history at the dentist that shows you can pay your bills on time, you may be able to arrange a payment plan with your dentist. You can then arrange to pay the remainder of the bill in fixed monthly payments.
Do not lose hope. You can call us today if you need to pay off your dental treatment. We offer Afterpay as well as finance and payment plan options both for preventative check-ups and treatments at all our surgeries in Willoughby East, Elermore Vale, Wingham and Tuncurry.
Self-reliance is a good virtue, but not when it comes to our teeth. We might feel untouchable and cool, tearing packaging tapes without using scissors. Teeth are like glass; like our windshield, micro cracks will definitely happen. But unlike our windshields, we cannot see the little signs. The first symptom you will have, if you get unlucky, is pain. Some cases may only lead to wear and chips, but worst cases are split teeth that may lead eventually to tooth loss.
It is true that lemon-water is good for our gut; however, like any other health advises there are pros and cons. And, it is better to be in the middle.
If we do drink this, it is better that it is only once a day and we finish the glass of flavoured water all at once, instead of sip by sip throughout the day. You see, things other than water, can release acids. Sugars have acid by-products too. The environment in the mouth cannot be acidic for the whole day, or else it will make our teeth brittle, and hello cavities, white spots and worn teeth!
This is the same with chew-able acidic vitamins, if we can take it with water; the better it is for our teeth. We are only talking about the acidic vitamins. Please follow the instructions provided by your doctor when placing emergency medicine under the tongue or around the inside of the mouth.
Just imagine your teeth as a high-gloss kitchen tiles/counter. You don’t want to brush it with a steel-brush nor harmful gritty cleaners right? It’s the same thing with our teeth; we need to exercise our tender-loving-care, with gentle, longer strokes. When it is already sharp at the tips, or splayed, or it has been 3 months, time to change!
Letting your toothbrush dry is not allowing the bacteria to grow. Anything that is moist all the time, invites germs. You do not want to reintroduce these.
For bamboo toothbrushes, we do recommend wiping the handles with towels after every use to allow it to dry quicker and not letting it develop mold.
Remember, when I told you sugars turn to acid somehow when breaking, it is our saliva in the rescue. Let the ambulance of saliva save you, allow 30 minutes at least. However, if you had eaten something sticky at it rests from the chewing tables of your back teeth, oh, that is the gray side, brush now but gently, just take off those sticky ones.
Sports are way to be energetic and be healthy but to protect ourselves too with a mouth guard. There are two types, the custom-made and the over-the-counter ones. The custom-made fits better and are more protective. However, for growing individuals or patients undergoing braces or aligners, the over-the-counter ones are advisable as your teeth keep changing positions.
Oh, no, this is like saying that the front wheels of a car are the only ones we need to drive and forget about the back. Everything is created for a reason. The front is to show our nice smile, and the back to chew our food. If we chew using our front teeth, we may not have anything to show off when we smile after a period of time.
Visiting a dentist regularly is part of self-care believe it or not. It is not only about professional cleaning, but the examination is equally important. Checking the whole mouth for any signs of abnormalities is very essential as is screening for oral cancer, growths and others. A sleep apnea risk assessment is done too.
Blog by: Dr Beverly San Pablo