Dentures
If you’ve lost some or all of your teeth, whether from periodontal disease, tooth decay or injury, complete or partial dentures can replace your missing teeth and your smile. Replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. Without support from the denture, facial muscles sag, making a person look older. You’ll be able to eat and speak – things that people often take for granted until their natural teeth are lost.
Even if you wear dentures, you still must take good care of your mouth and any remaining teeth. Brush your gums, tongue and palate every morning with a soft-bristled brush before you insert your dentures to stimulate circulation in your tissues and help remove plaque.
What will the dentures feel like? New dentures often feel awkward for a few weeks until you become accustomed to them. The dentures may feel loose while the muscles of your cheek and tongue learn to keep them in place. It is not unusual to experience minor irritation or soreness. You may find that saliva flow temporarily increases. As your mouth becomes accustomed to the dentures, these problems should diminish. Follow-up appointments with the dentists are generally needed after the denture is inserted.
Will I be able to eat with my dentures? Eating will take a little practice. Reading out loud and repeating troublesome words will help. If your dentures “click” while you’re talking, speak more slowly. You may find that your dentures occasionally slip when you laugh, cough or smile. Reposition the dentures by gently biting down and swallowing.
Will my dentures need to be replaced? Over time, dentures will need to be relined, rebased, or remade due to normal wear. To reline or rebase a denture, the dentist uses the existing denture teeth and refits the denture base or makes a new denture base. Dentures may need to be replaced if they become loose and the teeth show signs of significant wear. Dentures become loose because a mouth naturally changes with age. Bone and gum ridges can recede or shrink, causing jaws to align differently. Loose dentures can cause health problems, including sores and infections. A loose denture also makes chewing more difficult and may change your facial features. It is important to replace worn or poorly fitting dentures before they cause problems.
Schedule an appointment with us to see if dentures are your best option or if your existing dentures are ill-fitting.
Even if you wear dentures, you still must take good care of your mouth and any remaining teeth. Brush your gums, tongue and palate every morning with a soft-bristled brush before you insert your dentures to stimulate circulation in your tissues and help remove plaque.
Will I be able to eat with my dentures? Eating will take a little practice. Reading out loud and repeating troublesome words will help. If your dentures “click” while you’re talking, speak more slowly. You may find that your dentures occasionally slip when you laugh, cough or smile. Reposition the dentures by gently biting down and swallowing.
Will my dentures need to be replaced? Over time, dentures will need to be relined, rebased, or remade due to normal wear. To reline or rebase a denture, the dentist uses the existing denture teeth and refits the denture base or makes a new denture base. Dentures may need to be replaced if they become loose and the teeth show signs of significant wear. Dentures become loose because a mouth naturally changes with age. Bone and gum ridges can recede or shrink, causing jaws to align differently. Loose dentures can cause health problems, including sores and infections. A loose denture also makes chewing more difficult and may change your facial features. It is important to replace worn or poorly fitting dentures before they cause problems.
Schedule an appointment with us to see if dentures are your best option or if your existing dentures are ill-fitting.
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