Denture Instructions

Expectations

We will make your new dentures look as natural and pleasing as possible. You must remember, however, that these are not your own teeth. They are artificial replacements and will not function like your own teeth did. Your expectations should be reasonable and you should work at learning to live with these limitations of artificial teeth.

Care of your mouth

We recommend that you leave your dentures out of your mouth for six to eight hours every day. Your gums need to rest and allow proper blood circulation without the pressure from your dentures. Your mouth should be rinsed often with any of the commercial mouth washes. We urge you to brush your gums, tongue and palate with a soft brush at least once a day, to remove any debris and prevent inflammation (any teeth remaining in your mouth, if you have partial dentures, should be brushed and flossed daily).

Care of your dentures

Your dentures are made very precisely just to you, and they have to be protected from harm. Always clean them over a thick towel or a sink full of water to prevent them from breaking if you should drop them You should clean them daily using a toothbrush and non abrasive soap or toothpaste. You may soak your dentures twice a week in a solution of one teaspoon bleach in a full cup of water for twenty minutes, or you may use any of the commercial denture cleaning tablets. Whenever you are not wearing your dentures, you should keep them soaking in plain water so they will not dry out and warp. Never attempt to do anything more than clean and brush your dentures. Please call the office with any problem and before using any denture adhesive.

Getting accustomed to your dentures

You should expect to have some discomfort after receiving your new dentures. We expect it and will schedule you for a twenty-four hour and a one week observation. if there is any later need for adjustment please do not attempt to adjust them yourself. Most people have an increased
flow of saliva and some speech difficulties for the first week or two. However, you will soon learn to adapt to these changes and we expect that you will be comfortable in a short period of time.

Proper use of your dentures

Learn to eat with your new dentures by eating semisolid foods for a few days. Take small bites of food and chew them slowly. Use a knife and fork to cut or break up food instead of using your front teeth. These front teeth are for looks only: the back teeth are for chewing. Any time you experience any forced muscular movements such as a sneeze, a cough or a bellowing laugh your dentures may be dislodged. Cover your mouth to protect your dentures from falling out. Don’t expect to eat solid foods without discomfort for some time.

Repairs

If your dentures should ever need any kind of repair, never attempt to do it yourself. You could damage very sensitive mouth tissues. Let us correct them properly – call the office immediately.

Length of service

Your mouth tissues are constantly changing, but your denture are not. This is why we urge you to come back for checkups once every six months. If necessary, your dentures may need to be relined, rebased or, on occasion, remade. Only your dentist can determine this. A properly fitting denture will protect your gums, which are essential for denture wearing.

Use of adhesives, etc.

In a very few cases, for a short period of time, adhesives may help keep new dentures in place. Denture retention is a matter of muscular control which is gained by practice and time. Adhesives serve as a crutch, and should be avoid if possible. The use of drug store liners will ruin your mouth! Do not use them under any circumstances.