Aftercare Instructions for Dentures
General Instructions for Conventional Dentures
1.It is normal to have a feeling of fullness and excessive salivation initially with dentures. Becoming familiar with your new dentures will take time. Do not expect results for several weeks. During this adaptation period you will likely experience: sore spots, difficulty eating, difficulty speaking, cheek/lip biting and frustration.
2. Don’t invite criticism of others as denture fit is highly dependent on the anatomy of your mouth.
3. Remove dentures from the mouth every night and store in a glass of water. This allows your gums to heal and recover. You may use freshening tablets if you desire, but do not use bleach or toothpaste. Massage your gums with a soft, wet towel to keep them firm and resistant to denture irritation. Do not use adhesives until you have discussed it with Dr Andrus. He will tell you to use as little as possible and he prefers the powder type because it is easy to clean out and so there is less risk of it piling up and throwing off the fit.
4. Clean with a denture brush and mild hand soap this is the best way to control odor and stain. Clean over a towel on the side of the bed or over a full sink of water this will prevent breakage if they are accidentally dropped.
5. Chewing with dentures is different than with natural teeth. Learn to chew small pieces on both sides of the mouth at the same time to keep the denture balanced. Foods such as corn and apples will need to be cut with a knife instead of biting them. Biting with the front teeth will always cause the dentures to tip.
6. Practice reading out loud to improve speech.
7. Settling of the new denture can cause the bite to need to be adjusted. Once the teeth are removed the jaw bone will shrink causing the denture to loosen. This will continue throughout your life to some degree. Also, since denture teeth are made of acrylic, the biting surfaces may wear out from normal chewing. This may alter the bite and accelerate the jaw bone shrinking process which in turn affects the fit. For this reason it is important to have dentures evaluated at least every year and it may be suggested that they be relined every 3 years and remade every 5-6 years.
8. Sore spots may develop during the first week of wear. If this occurs, leave the dentures in for at least 4 hours prior to coming for adjustment so that the irritating area can be more easily identified.
Additional Instructions for Immediate Dentures (denture you get the same day the teeth are removed)
9. First 24 hours: Leave dentures in. The denture acts as a pressure bandage to stop bleeding and prevent swelling. Dr Andrus will remove them and adjust sore areas at the 24 hour appointment.
10. Immediate dentures usually have to be relined or remade after 3-4 months of healing because of the bone and gum shrinkage that occurs during healing