Dentures & Partials
Dentures are a removable piece of hardware used to replace some or all of your natural teeth. If all of your teeth are missing or need to be removed, you will be given a full set of dentures. If some of your natural teeth remain, partial dentures are used.
Types of Dentures
Generally speaking, dentures come in two standard types:
- Conventional dentures are not fitted until after the gums and jaw have fully healed from the extraction of your teeth. This can take up to eight to twelve weeks, and during this period, you will not have any teeth.
- Immediate dentures are fitted before your teeth are extracted and can be worn almost immediately. Immediate dentures will require several more fittings than traditional dentures, as the shape of your jaw and gums will change during the healing process, but they have the advantage of immediately restoring your teeth after the extraction.
Partial dentures can be used when only some of your teeth need to be removed. Partials function similarly to a bridge but are removable.
Adjusting to Dentures
When you are first fitted for dentures, you may have to wear them all the time, including while sleeping. This will allow the dentist to quickly find spots that need to be reshaped due to discomfort or irritation. After the dentures are properly fitted to your jaw, dentures can be removed at night.
While dentures are not real teeth, you will want to care for them as if they were. Brush your dentures to remove food particles before removing them. You will need to deposit your dentures into warm water or a denture cleaning solution as soon as you remove them from your mouth. Hot water can warp dentures, so be careful!
It can take some time for your mouth to adjust to the shape of dentures. At first it may feel awkward and bulky to have the appliances in your mouth, but over time, you will become accustomed to the dentures.
Contact our office today for more information on whether dentures are right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
It will take your mouth some time to get used to the feel of dentures. After a few months, however, you will feel comfortable eating and talking with your dentures in and experience little to no soreness or discomfort. If you ever do experience soreness or if your dentures aren’t fitting right, please let us know.
Yes.
When you first get your dentures, you will need to start with soft foods and slowly introduce harder foods as you get used to biting and chewing with the dentures in. Chew gently and take smaller bites to avoid loosening the dentures as you eat.
At first, your dentist may recommend that you wear your dentures to sleep. This will speed up your mouth’s adjustment to the dentures and allow you to quickly detect and correct any spots where the fit is uncomfortable. After your mouth has adjusted to the dentures, they may be worn throughout the day and removed while you sleep.
Meet Our Doctors:
Nathan Thompson DMD
Dentist
Dr. Thompson is originally from Louisville, KY. He holds a BS in biology from the University of Kentucky and a DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) from the University of Louisville.
After dental school, Dr. Thompson completed ...
Stanton Dunn DDS
Dentist
Dr. Dunn has a BA in biological sciences and a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery), both from Indiana University. After dental school, he completed an American Dental Association-approved general practice residency at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Dr. ...