Your Guide to Immediate Dentures
Going weeks or months without teeth is a huge inconvenience that can cause significant self-confidence issues and unnecessary wear and tear on your remaining teeth. The good news is that you won’t have to wait weeks on end to receive a functional (but temporary) dental appliance.
If you’ve recently lost a tooth or are in need of an extraction, immediate dentures may be the solution you’re looking for.
What Are Immediate Dentures?
Immediate dentures are a temporary tooth replacement that maintains your smile and allows you to speak and eat properly while your gums heal after an extraction.
Immediate dentures are ready to be worn as soon as the problem teeth have been extracted. You’ll be walking out of the office with a brand new dental appliance to make the healing process as painless as possible.
If we determine that some teeth will need to be extracted and that immediate dentures are the right solution, we’ll book an appointment for the procedure.
What Happens on the Day of Extraction?
Before your teeth are extracted, we’ll take an impression of your mouth in order to make an accurate and comfortable denture.
- Your immediate dentures will be inserted. Initially, they may feel large or bulky, which is normal. This feeling should subside as your gums heal. During this time, we recommend eating soft foods to make the healing process as comfortable as possible.
- We’ll schedule a follow-up appointment to ensure that your denture is fitting properly or to make any necessary adjustments.
- Do not remove your immediate dentures for at least 24 hours. The dentures are as a bandage or splint during the initial healing. 24 hours is the bare minimum but your denturist will discuss the specifics of your situation at your appointment.
- The first few days with your new dentures may be uncomfortable. You may have difficulty speaking and eating normally. Again, this is normal and should get better with time.
- At your follow up appointment, we’ll make adjustments to your dentures and ensure you are as comfortable as possible.
Post-Op Care
The most important thing you can do once your teeth have been extracted and your denture inserted is to follow your denturist’s specific instructions. The time it takes for your mouth to heal is significantly related to how well you follow these instructions.
Be sure that you are maintaining good oral hygiene habits during the healing process. Rinsing your mouth with salty water is a great way to reduce bacteria and promote the healing of your gums.
We may need to make a new immediate denture in the months following the extraction. This is because your gums and bone tend to shrink once a tooth has been removed — which means your first denture may not fit properly over time.
Are you considering getting dentures? The best way to determine the right solution for your needs is to visit our friendly and helpful denture professionals.
Schedule an appointment with us today.
