Commonly referred to as ‘false teeth’, a denture is usually made of acrylic or a combination of acrylic and metal. A partial denture is fitted to replace some missing teeth, whilst a complete denture is indicated when all natural teeth are missing. A good set of dentures helps you to eat, speak, and function and often improves a person’s appearance.
The duration of the treatment will vary depending on the complexity, but it usually takes four or five appointments. After the initial visit of examination and diagnosis, the subsequent visits will include taking impressions of the mouth, bite registration, try-in of the denture, fitting and review.
New dentures always feel strange when first placed in your mouth. Several days or weeks will be required before you get accustomed to them. Adaptation varies from person to person and often time and experience are essential before dentures can be worn comfortably and function effectively.
Eating – Eating will take a little practice. Starting with soft foods and cutting food into small pieces will help. Chew slowly, using both sides of your mouth at the same time to prevent dentures from tipping. Once you become accustomed to chewing, include other foods until you return to your normal diet.
Increased salivary flow – You may experience an increase in salivary flow when the dentures are first inserted. This is a natural response of the salivary glands that will return to normal after a few weeks. You can improve the situation by swallowing more often.
Speech – New dentures may alter your speech initially. Pronouncing certain words may require practice. Reading out loud and repeating troublesome words will speed up the adaptation process. This problem rarely persists beyond two weeks.
Sore spots – Minor irritation caused by surface irregularities or pressure spots on the denture-bearing areas are quite common. We will relieve the discomfort by adjusting the denture surface. Stop wearing dentures if the irritation is very painful. Please get in touch immediately.
