What to Expect
The Challenge of Wearing Dentures
Some patients find the experience of wearing a denture for the first time to be challenging. A denture is a foreign object, and unfortunately, it often will not duplicate the exact function of your natural teeth. It will be a new sensation that will take you a period of time to adjust.
We want to assure you that every effort will be made to help you meet the challenge and satisfy your expectations. Each affiliated practice has fabricated thousands of dentures for patients over the years, so they are very experienced in recognizing and addressingissues that may occur.
Time, Patience, and Will Power
Discomfort for the first-time denture wearer and discomfort of a new denture on a long-time wearer is a common occurrence. New dentures can be a somewhat trying experience for some patients. Initially dentures often will feel strange and bulky and will cause a feeling of fullness of the lips and cheeks. In time, these feelings will subside and you will feel more comfortable. Time, patience and will power are your biggest allies.
Other Symptoms
Other symptoms you may experience with new dentures are slurred speech, gagging, excessive salivation and funny or diminished taste. Again, these symptoms usually disappear over time. However, if they continue, please contact our office to let the dental staff know about your particular difficulty. We are here to help you!
Learning to Chew with Your New Dentures
Learning to chew with new dentures takes time. Start with soft foods and gradually introduce more difficult foods. Chew on both sides of your mouth at the same time to stabilize your teeth. Avoid biting into foods with your front teeth as it may dislodge your dentures.
Lower Denture Challenges
It is especially difficult to adjust to a lower denture. Try resting your tongue against the back of the front of the lower denture to help hold it in place. Until you learn good tongue and lip control, it may be wise to use adhesives to help hold your lower denture in place. Adhesives may also be useful for upper dentures. If you are an existing denture wearer and have become accustomed to adhesives, you most likely will have to continue using adhesives for your dentures.
It is important to remember that a lower denture often "floats" on your lower gums and will not have the suction that your upper denture has. It will move around in your mouth, even out of your mouth, until you have mastered it.
Other Suggestions
At first, you may want to consider wearing your dentures all the time, even at night, to adapt to them more quickly. After you have become accustomed to them, it is advisable to take them out at night and follow a good cleaning routine.
It is common to feel sore places on your gums as you adjust to your new dentures. If you develop a sore spot, rinse your mouth with warm salt water and return to the practice as needed for an adjustment to the denture. Adjustments are free for the first 60 days and are an expected part of any new denture.
Some of the challenges described above could be overcome by considering mini dental implants described on this web site. As a current or future denture wearer, we encourage you to consider mini dental implants as an option to improve your health and your overall lifestyle.
