We are pleased to provide you with well-fitting, functional and aesthetically pleasing partial dentures. We feel confident that after a few weeks of adjustment, you will enjoy years of satisfaction and use. In the meantime, the following is information you need to know.
*Your first few weeks: New dentures always feel strange when first placed in your mouth. Several days or even a few weeks will be required for you to feel accustomed to them.
*Sore Spots: Your mouth will most likely develop a few sore spots within the first 24 hours of wearing your dentures. This is to be expected and such sore spots can be easily relieved by your doctor. An initial 24 hour re-adjustment appointment should be made, and another appointment about a week later will usually eliminate any other sore spots.
*Chewing: Your new “bite” may not feel comfortable for a period of days. We will adjust the contacting surfaces of your teeth after 24 hours, and again in about one week after the partial dentures have “settled” into place.
*Caring for Your Dentures and Your Mouth: Your dentures can be cleaned easily by using a toothbrush and soap. Such as Dawn dish soap or dial hand soap. Do not use toothpaste as it can scratch the denture teeth. Clean them over a sink full of water to avoid damage if they are dropped. Use special care to clean parts of the denture that contact any natural teeth. Both the denture and the natural teeth must be kept very clean on a daily basis to reduce the chance of developing new dental decay. Use an ADA approved toothpaste containing fluoride. Denture soaking solutions are also useful for the denture. Brush your gums with a soft-bristled toothbrush once per day to toughen and clean them. You may leave the dentures in or out of your mouth at night, depending on your preference. If they are out of your mouth, ALWAYS leave them soaking in water or mouthwash solution. The plastic part of your dentures will become brittle if left exposed to air.
*The Future: Your jawbones and gum shrink up to 1/32 of an inch per year when your teeth are missing. This is one of the main disadvantages of dentures. Because of this shrinkage, you should plan to have your dentures and oral tissues evaluated by us at least once per year. We will inform you when relining or rebasing of the dentures is necessary. Wearing ill-fitting dentures for too long without refitting can cause severe bone loss and very serious oral disease. Even partial dentures that “fit” comfortably need to be checked along with your tissues.
We look forward to helping you adjust to and enjoy your new dentures!
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office. We can be reached at 772-569-4118.