Do your dentures feel uncomfortable? When your dentures don’t fit like they used to, then you might need to reline them.

Complete or partial tooth loss can give you a lifetime of problems. Good thing then that a good set of dentures can replace your teeth and resolve those issues. But when your dentures do not fit properly anymore, then you’ll be reliving some of your tooth loss problems.

What is Denture Relining?

Denture relining is a procedure where your dental prosthetist adjusts and reshapes the surface of your dentures to provide a more comfortable fit.

Types of Denture Relining

Soft Relining

A soft reline uses silicone to give a softer and more comfortable base for your denture. It’s an ideal choice for patients with thin or sensitive gums as a silicone base is less likely to cause irritation.

Because soft relining uses a softer material, it wears out faster than hard relining, requiring you to undergo the process more often. However, it is the recommended option for older patients due to their thinner and more receded gums, and other mouth issues.

Hard Relining

A hard denture reline is an excellent option for patients who prefer a longer-lasting fit for their dentures. The hard relining base is made from an acrylic with similar properties to the original acrylic on your dentures.

The only downside is that this procedure may require more than a day’s visit to your dental prosthetist. You may need to get temporary dentures for that time.

Denture Relining Procedure

A typical relining procedure can be completed within a day. Your dental prosthetist would first examine your mouth for any irritation. If there’s a significant sore or swelling from poor-fitting dentures, then your dental prosthetist may recommend a temporary reline while it heals.

Once your dental prosthetist sees no issue for a permanent reline, your dental prosthetist will then proceed to clean your dentures, which includes sanding away some material from your denture plate. Once the dentures are cleaned, the dental prosthetist will then apply a soft or hard relining to them. You will be asked to put the dentures back into your mouth and gently bite down. This makes an impression in the resin. Once the resin hardens, the reline is completed. This process is the same whether it’s your first denture reline or your tenth.

However, your dental prosthetist may opt to send the impression to a dental laboratory for some hard relining cases. This can take a full day or longer before the dental prosthetics are returned to you.

Benefits of Relining

Well-Fitted Dentures

Dentures that slide and move make everyday tasks difficult, such as chewing and talking. Relining makes eating food easier and helps you avoid slurs, lisps, and other speech difficulties.

Longer-Lasting Dentures

Instead of distributing pressure over your denture’s entire surface, an ill-fitting denture puts stress only on a specific area, which causes your dentures to break. A reline every few years is a part of maintaining your dentures, helping them to last longer.

A Cleaner, Healthier Mouth

An improper denture fit creates gaps between your denture’s base and your mouth tissue. These gaps will trap bits and pieces of food which may cause decay. This can lead to bad breath and infections. Relining your dentures closes these gaps, preventing problems like these.

How Often Do You Need to Get Your Dentures Relined?

The silicone on a soft reline typically lasts only 1–2 years. A hard reline can last for years with proper care. Nevertheless, your hard reline needs to be examined every two years to ensure it still fits correctly.

Book an Appointment With Us!

Even with a perfect dental hygiene routine, your mouth shape changes over time, causing dentures to no longer fit properly. Denture relining will help keep your dentures fitting and make for a healthier mouth.

Do you suffer from ill-fitting dentures? Whether you just need to reline the upper half of the denture or you need a complete denture relining, we’re happy to do it for you. Call us now!

Dentures are prosthetics made to look exactly like an actual human tooth, designed to replace the real thing when needed. The vast majority are supported by surrounding tissue and can be removed, although fixed/bonding versions are also available. Dentures are often made out of acrylic, nylon, or metal, and are purpose made to fit and work exactly as normal teeth would. They can be utilised to replace anything from one tooth to an entire set of teeth. They are also known by the term ‘false teeth’.

Why do people need dentures?

People can need dentures for a whole variety of reasons, with the most common being the loss of their natural teeth due to decay or injury. Tooth decay is a gradual process that happens over time, especially if you do not look after those pearly whites with proper oral hygiene. While the need for dentures due to decay is more common in older people, anyone at any age can require dentures, for example; a sports-related injury. Even if a person only loses one or two teeth, it can affect how they chew and speak on a day-to-day basis. Certain types of food may become difficult to chew and certain words will become hard to pronounce, hence why some turn to dentures as a fix. Finally, underdeveloped or even missing teeth can also result in the sagging of facial muscles. Losing teeth can appear to alter the shape of your face, which can damage self-esteem and confidence. Another result of missing teeth is your normal teeth can take over the gap or where you have lost your tooth/teeth. This may result in your normal tooth/teeth becoming crooked and difficult to fit a denture into the gap. Your dentist will have to take out the crooked tooth and then a denture made by a Prosthetist. 

How long do you have to wait to get dentures?

Some people can be understandably anxious about having teeth removed, with the plan to have dentures fitted at a later date. The gap between removal and fitting the replacements throws up a number of questions involving things such as speaking, chewing, and general appearance. Custom-made dentures are typically fitted between six to eight weeks after the teeth are removed, although it can take between three and six months for them to fit properly. This gives the tissue around the gum enough time to heal, as well as guaranteeing a good fit for the eventual dentures. So, what can you do in the time between removal and fitting?

Immediate dentures 

These are dentures that need more adjustments as they are fitted when the other teeth are removed. The immediate dentures will have been created before your existing teeth are even removed, meaning that the dental prosthetist can simply take your real ones out and replace them straight away. Not only does this give you a toothy white grin to walk around with as per normal, but it also helps to keep the shape of your face and avoid shrinking of the jaw. Your immediate dentures may even see an improvement in your mouth, as the dental prosthetist can correct positioning issues. This can make for an even better smile and easier oral cleaning. However, you will have to keep the dentures clean still, as you would with a normal set of teeth. These new immediate dentures will need to be worn for around the first 48 hours to ensure the gums have settled down (no taking them out at night time). 

Types of dentures:

Complete dentures 

Also referred to as false teeth, complete dentures refer to full sets of replacements. Conventional dentures are made and ready to go within three weeks (dependant on the patient, these can be made sooner if need be) while immediate dentures can be fitted straight away. Complete dentures are to be used when a person has lost or had an entire set of teeth removed. 

Partial dentures 

These are used to replace a missing tooth or missing teeth, rather than a complete set of teeth. If there are still some real and healthy teeth within the mouth, then partial dentures can be used to fill the gaps. Filling gaps from missing teeth is important to do as soon as possible to prevent other teeth moving.

Direct Denture Care 

Dentures are custom made for every patient, making it an extremely personal process unique to each person. As a result, it is important to put your faith and trust in a dental practice with a proven track record of high-quality customer care, fantastic results, and years of positive experience under their belts. Our dedicated team at Direct Denture Care has all of that and more. For the best denture services in Perth, including new cosmetic dentures, implant-retained overdentures, partial dentures, denture relines, emergency denture repairs or custom mouthguards, and more, contact Direct Denture Care today on 08 9440 1540 for the Balcatta Clinic and (08) 9401 1195  for the Hillarys Clinic. 

There’s no doubt that gaps left by missing teeth can make you feel uncomfortable and self-conscious. Even normal everyday tasks such as smiling, laughing and eating can become unpleasant. Not only can missing teeth have an impact on your confidence, it can also cause physical issues with teeth moving, due to the gap and space created by missing teeth forming an unwanted angle. Dentures may be just what you need to boost your confidence!

Dentures are removable replacements for missing teeth made of acrylic, nylon or metal. Whilst they may take some time to get used to, there are many benefits to getting dentures. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of how dentures are designed, the types of dentures available, emergency denture repair and denture care.

How are Dentures Designed?

There are two main types of dentures full or complete denture and partial denture. Another type of denture available is a fixed denture.

A full denture comes in two pairs; an upper and lower denture. The base of the denture is a freshly coloured acrylic base that fits conveniently over your gums. The upper denture settles on the entire roof of your mouth, whereas the lower denture is shaped in a horseshoe manner to allow accommodation of the tongue.

Depending on your condition your Prosthetist  may recommend a complete, partial or fixed denture. A full or complete denture is generally recommended when all your teeth are missing, and a partial denture may be recommended when some of your natural teeth are remaining.

1.  Full or complete denture: can be either a conventional or an immediate complete denture. A conventional denture is used when the gum tissues have completely healed, while immediate dentures are used immediately after the teeth are removed, without allowing the gums to heal fully. Conventional dentures are made roughly 12 weeks after the teeth have been removed allowing the gums time to heal. Another advantage a conventional denture has over an immediate denture is they do not require any adjustment after they have been used.

A conventional denture requires a bit of adjustment if not at all.  An immediate denture requires a lot more adjustment because the gums will shrink over time.
Unlike conventional dentures, immediate dentures are considered temporary. This is due to the healing process of the bones and gums, shrinking over time causing a need for readjustment, whereas complete dentures can be used for a period of up to five to ten years.

2.  Partial Dentures: are used when some of the natural teeth remain either in the upper or lower jaw. Partial dentures typically have two options; removable partial dentures and fixed bridge dentures. Removable partial dentures are replacement teeth attached to a gum-coloured plastic base, which may be connected by a metal skeleton that keeps the denture in position. For a fixed bridge denture, one or more of the teeth are replaced by placing crows on either side of the space and attaching artificial teeth to them. The fixed bridge is then cemented or glued into place. One big advantage of a partial denture is that it replaces missing teeth and keeps the remaining teeth from shifting.

3.  Fixed Dentures: This type of tooth replacement includes; dental implants, overdentures and some removable dentures that may be used as alternatives. They are the four main types of fixed dentures.

A. Implants: These are surgically infused into the bone, and over time may resemble the feel of real teeth. Implants are loaded with prosthetic within a six months period or over time.
B. Fixed Bridge: Are dentures used to replace missing teeth. The artificial tooth is cemented to each side of the remaining natural teeth.
C. Implant supported fixed Dentures: They are implants surgically inserted into the jaw bone, and a crown is screwed in to fit the insert.
D. Implant supported removable dentures: These implants allow removable dentures to be attached to the implants in the jaw.

Denture Repair

There are several reasons why you may be needing a denture repair. A full denture is usually very durable, however, damage may occur to these dentures simply by dropping them. Commonly a tooth may snap off in the process, and the plate may even crack. There are other reasons that may cause damage to your dentures, the most common are:

Wear And Tear

– Eating foods containing or high in acid
…– Applying pressure when chewing
…– Change in temperatures over time can also cause wear

Fittings

Reline – once your mouth changes, it is time for a reline of  the denture. Over time as the shape of your mouth changes, your dentures may no longer fit as they once did. Even though your Prosthetist may have made your denture perfectly for you, they may still become too tight or too loose because of the changes in your mouth.

If your denture becomes damaged in any way, we recommend you see your Prosthetist immediately to make the necessary repairs to your denture. Avoid trying to fix it yourself as this may cause more damage to it and your Prosthetist may not be able to fix it. Usually, it is best you have another denture as an alternative in the event of damage.

• Emergency denture repair and same day denture repair. In the event of an emergency, you may require an alternative pair of dentures. If you don’t have an emergency pair, stay calm and see your Dental Prosthetist. Do not try to fix your denture yourself as you may make the problem worse. Some Dental Prosthetists offer same day emergency denture repair. Direct Denture Care normally repairs your dentures in less than 1 hour.

Same day or emergency denture repair requires the Dental Prosthetist to:

• Examine the current condition of your denture
• Take wearing measurements
• Fix or repair the damaged denture
• Brush it and polish it
• Then insert them back into your mouth

The time required to complete this can vary from one hour to several depending on the Prosthetists level of experience.

The Dental Prosthetist will advise you on how long it will take to get your dentures fixed and if the damage repair is likely to take longer than a day to repair, you will be informed and asked to come in the next day. The Dental Prosthetist usually has an on-site laboratory that would aid in treating damaged dentures. The lab is well equipped to serve an emergency or same day denture.

• What is involved in the process of denture repair?

After carefully assessing the damage of your denture, your dental prosthetist will make a mould of your damaged feature, add strengthened to fix it, add prosthetic teeth and finally cure the denture.

• Eating with Dentures

At first, you may find dentures really uncomfortable to eat with. We recommend you start by eating soft food and chew slowly using both sides of your mouth. Gradually you will soon start eating types of food from your former diet, from semi-solid to solid food. Avoid any type of food that is sticky or that could pierce the roof of your mouth.

• Denture Adhesive

If your denture is not fitting properly, you can see your Dental Prosthetist and they will advise you on the adhesive to use. The feeling of having a denture on could be really uncomfortable; you could try using adhesive to boost your confidence. Adhesives are removed from the dentures by using soap and water. The remnant in the month could be removed with a damp flannel.

See your Dental Prosthetist Regularly

Having your denture on is different from your natural teeth, it requires that you see your Prosthetist on a regular basis to check for underlying problems. The denture may last for several years but overtime your gums and jaw bone will eventually shrink, and this can affect the fit of your denture.

It is advisable to see your Prosthetist when you notice the following

• Your denture starts slipping out from your gums, or they no longer fit well.
• When your dentures are worn out
• You are experiencing gum disease or bad breath and bleeding gums
• When you don’t feel comfortable having them on.
• Note: Infection and sores may develop when your dentures are worn out, and do not fit properly.

How to care for your Dentures?

The following tips would help you in protecting and properly caring for your dentures.

1. Keep your dentures clean on a daily basis. To do this brush your denture to remove food deposits, preferably with a soft bristled brush and avoid using a whitening toothpaste as they contain bleach.
2. Soak your denture at night to keep them moist, this helps in extending their usage.
3. Rinse your dentures with clean water after each meal to remove food particles.
4. Handle your denture with care. Dentures need extra precautions when handling them. If you decide to clean or insert your denture, it is best to place a blow of water or a clean towel on the sink to avoid any event of dropping them. If it happens that you drop your denture and damage occurs, please see your Prosthetist.
5. Brush your gums, palate, and tongue in the morning using a soft brush before fitting your dentures. This aids in removing plaque and stimulate flow in your tissues.

If you are missing teeth or have gaps in your smile, Dentures may be the perfect solution to boost your confidence, assist you with eating and ensure little to no impact on your speech.

There are other options depending on your insurance or budget, like implants which are similar to natural teeth nevertheless you can also opt in for overdentures.  To see if you are suitable for implant surgery, seek the advice of your Dental Prosthetist.

This article is not written to substitute any professional advice or diagnosis, but it is aimed to educate and inform patients by providing a general knowledge of Dentures.

If you are currently wearing removable dentures that are fitted poorly and are unstable in your mouth, then you may be considering permanent dentures. Permanent dentures are a durable and lasting treatment option for those that have one or more missing teeth.

They can quickly and easily restore the function of your teeth and keep you smiling from ear to ear for years to come!

Removable dentures are one of the quickest and most cost-effective methods to replace missing teeth, however, if they are not fitted correctly, they can move over time and cause extreme discomfort, and even stop patients from eating and speaking as they normally would.

Wearing dentures for prolonged periods of time are also not advised as wearing them consistently for extended periods of time can lead to the shrinkage of the jaw bone.

Many patients who use removable dentures also have to deal with messy and sticky adhesive to secure their dentures to their mouth, which is not the most ideal or stable way to fasten the dentures into place.

Fixed Dentures:

Through advanced technology, dental patients are given the opportunity to resolve the issue of one or more missing teeth through Permanent Dentures. Non-removable dentures, or more commonly known as Fixed Dentures, are one or more prosthetic teeth that have been bonded to a foundation, that is placed in the mouth and is held in the mouth through the use dental implants.

These implant dentures make is easy for patients to drink, eat, chew, talk and smile as they would normally, as the dentures will not move around while performing these daily activities.

For this type of procedure to take place, the patient must first receive an oral examination by an expert dentist who has the right knowledge to fit these permanent dentures. Then, a scan of the jawbone will be issued to help determine the exact locations for the implants to be embedded at the back of the jawbone.

The fixed dentures are then attached to the implants and after a healing period in which the implants naturally fuse to the jawbone, and the patient can enjoy their new set of teeth.

Although there is no perfect technique that will replace missing teeth, permanent and implant dentures is one of the most popular and effective options that patients can receive. However, as with all dental procedures, there are some advantages and disadvantages to taking into consideration:

Advantages:

There are so many benefits to permanent dentures compared to conventional dentures. The first, and most attractive, is that it requires the shortest surgery and healing times. There are also minimal healing times and postoperative discomfort that patients experience.

When compared to removable dentures, patients who have fixed dentures are able to eat, speak and drink much more comfortably and the dentures allow for a more even biting force distribution, easing these everyday processes.

Fixed dentures are extremely long lasting – when properly cared for, they can last a lifetime – and as they are custom made for each patient, they also support the natural structure of facial features, allowing for patients to achieve a more natural and youthful appearance.

Considerations:

Although permanent dentures provide an easy and safe solution to replacing missing teeth, it does involve surgery, which can sometimes lead to infection and inflammation during the healing process. It is important to note, however, that with the proper cleaning and maintenance, most patients do not experience any inflammation and infection is extremely rare.

Even though the upfront costs for fixed dentures can be quite costly, the benefits, improved mobility of everyday activities and costs saved in the long run can heavily outweigh this factor.

If you are considering fixed dentures to replace your missing teeth, then it is within your best interest to seek the help of a professional and skilled cosmetic dentist to ensure you are receiving the best care and the most informed decision.

Direct Denture Care is licensed dental prosthetists and qualified dental technicians specialise in new Cosmetic Denture, custom mouthguard and emergency Denture repairs. Call and book an appointment to start the process achieving a beautiful new smile, today!

Balcatta WA: Phone: (08) 9440 1540
Hillarys WA: Phone: (08) 9401 1195

Dentures are a removable prosthetic device for missing teeth. This can also cover the surrounding tissues and gums. There are two types of dentures; there are complete dentures and partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when there are no teeth remaining and therefore, act as a replacement for all of your teeth. These dentures rest on the gums of the jawbone. Partial dentures are used when only some teeth are missing. These are attached to nearby remaining teeth and rest on the gums and the bone where the missing teeth would be.

Aside from the aesthetic appeal, dentures can actually play an important role in facial structure.This is a critical function as it helps you to chew and bite your food properly. This, in turn, allows you to digest your food more effectively which prevents digestive issues arising. You can also imagine the difference it would make to your self-esteem. I don’t think there is anyone among us who would like to be seen among friends, family or colleagues with no teeth at all. Sounds horrible right? Needless to say, the major benefit of dentures is that it allows us to maintain our beautiful our smile and aesthetic appeal.

Top five reasons you may require dentures

Most people associate dentures with old age, but this is not necessarily the case. Many people of all ages wear dentures, either complete or partial. However, in most cases, the need for dentures is avoidable. Here are the top five reasons you may need either complete or partial denture.

1). You don’t visit the dentist regularly

Obvious problems like severe tooth decay as a result of inadequate dental hygiene may require the removal of some or all of your teeth. Did you know that more than one in three Australians delay or avoid dental treatment because they can’t afford it? That is more than seven million people! ( http://oralhealth.asn.au/facts). Needless to say, if you go to the dentist at least twice a year, you can avoid tooth decay that becomes bad enough, removal of teeth is the only option.

2). Playing sport

For those of us that play sport, particularly contact sport, there is always the risk of losing teeth through an accident on the sporting field. The chances of this happening can be minimised by wearing a mouthguard. However, for various reasons, not everybody wears a mouthguard on the sporting field. Even if they do, there is no guarantee that their teeth will be protected from accidental contact. If you are unfortunate enough to lose one or more teeth as a result of an accident on the sporting field, you may require a partial denture.

3). Indigestion

Can you believe that indigestion might be a sign that you possibly could need dentures? If you have sore or painful teeth, this may cause you not to chew your food properly. As a result, you may end up with indigestion. If you do suffer from regular indigestion, this does not automatically mean that you need dentures. However, this is an indication that you could have serious dental problems if your teeth are too painful to chew properly. In this case, a quick visit to the dentist will help determine what action is required.

4). You already have some teeth missing

Most people can live with losing back teeth, but when it comes to losing front teeth, they become concerned. The problem is that if you lose more than 2 or 3 teeth, that means the rest of your teeth are under more strain when chewing. This could mean that you lose one of your front teeth as a result. Therefore, having a partial denture installed for missing back teeth, helps to balance the load on all of your teeth. So even if all of your front teeth are intact, and your missing teeth happen to be at the back, you still might want to consider having a partial denture installed.

5). Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a gum disease which is characterized by red and swollen gums, and often accompanied by bleeding. Gum disease is responsible for approximately 70% of adults losing their teeth. The good news is, gum disease can be prevented and even corrected through proper dental hygiene. Therefore,  gum disease does not guarantee that you will require dentures. However, if left untreated, gum disease can go beyond the gums and lead to bone loss, which in turn can lead to loss of teeth. Loss of teeth means the need for dentures.

So there we have it. The clear message to take away from this article is that we all need to make a strong effort with our personal dental hygiene. This includes regular brushing and flossing and visiting our dentist at least every 6 months. If we do this, then we will not need any dentures unless of course, we have an accident from playing sport or from some other accidental cause.

If you wear dentures, you’ll want to know what funding methods are available for you. This is necessary as you need to visit your Dental Prosthetist regularly to maintain your dentures.

Now It would certainly be a blessing if the country’s main healthcare fund Medicare, covers the cost of these visits.

The Department of Health develops the Medicare policy while Australia’s Department of Human Services administers Medicare and will pay for you the benefits if you are eligible.

So, does Medicare cover dentures?

It’s important to understand Medicare and how it works so that you’ll know if it covers denture outlays. You are eligible if:

• You are a permanent Australian resident
• You are a citizen of Australia or New Zealand
• You have applied for permanent residency and meet a few other basic criteria – this excludes applications for parent visas, and;
• You are a beneficiary of a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement cover by another country.

If you pass any of these eligibility criteria, you are issued with a Medicare card that represents your enrolment to the fund. You need to be at least 15 years old to have your own Medicare card. Children below 15 can be a beneficiary of their parents’ Medicare.

What is covered under Medicare?

• Treatment that health professionals provide can either be free or subsidised. These professionals include doctors, optometrists, specialists, as well as other allied health practitioners and dentists in specific circumstances.
• 75 percent of the Medicare Schedule fee for medical procedures and services. if you are a private patient in a public or private hospital. (excludes hospital accommodation and additional items like theatre fees and medicines.)
• Free treatment and accommodation in public hospitals for public Medicare patients.

For dental care, Medicare only covers treatments if they are deemed to be essential for the well-being of the patient.

This means that dental procedures that will enhance your appearance (cosmetic purposes) are not covered by Medicare. The underlying assumption is that the life of the patient does not depend on the item of cosmetic adjustment.

Some general dental treatments and examinations are not essential to the wellbeing of the individual, these are not covered by Medicare. And when the dental service is covered, it may not cover the whole cost.

Dental procedures covered by Medicare

• Oral surgery – Medicare covers specific oral surgeries if they are required for particular non-cosmetic purposes.
• Diagnostic – The fund will cover diagnostic procedures recommended by medical practitioners. Examples here include dental x-rays.

• Preventative – Procedures that help prevent greater and costlier dental problems from developing later on such as cleaning and sealing are provided limited cover.
• Restorative – Restorative procedures such as dental implants and root canal therapy are covered partially. Though this only happens in some states and territories and not the whole country.

Each state and territory has its own public dental program. As such, they have their own schemes and eligibility requirements.

From the foregoing, dentures are not essentially covered by Medicare. So it is advisable that you get your dentures from a clinic that works in partnership with established health funds to ensure you have prompt and efficient payment processing for all your private health fund claims.

Note: Even though dental procedures intended primarily for cosmetic purposes are not covered, essential treatments may bring with it improvement in the patient’s appearance.

How Medicare covers dental procedures

The Federal Government provides funding for dental treatments for eligible grownups and children through various schemes that are not mainstream Medicare. These include:

Child and Adult Public Dental Scheme

This scheme has been introduced as a replacement of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule to provide ongoing funding in partnership with states and territories. This scheme aims to assist in covering public dental services for all children as well as for adults with concession cards.

Child Dental Benefits Schedule

This has since been replaced with the Child and Adult Public Dental Scheme. Under this scheme, eligible children aged between 2 and 17 years of old would access basic dental services. Children who were entitled to government benefits such as the Family Tax Benefit Part A would receive benefits capped at $1,000 per child every two years to cover services like examinations, cleaning, x-rays, fissure sealing, root canals, fillings and extractions.

When this was replaced with the Child and Adult Public Dental Scheme, the coverage was widened, to increase the number of beneficiaries.

Moreover, the scheme aims to improve the oral health of Australian people who are unable to afford private healthcare insurance.

Persons who can afford private health cover can also enjoy different levels of dental cover supported by the government through the extras cover. These may range from general preventative dental care to orthodontics and other major dental procedures.

Missing teeth often leave gaps that can cause both eating and speech problems. Additionally, teeth left on either side of the gap may grow into the space at some angle. That’s why no one wants to lose their natural teeth.

But no matter how you take care of your teeth, age and decay can force you to have it extracted.  When this happens, your options include:

• 1. Removable teeth replacement (partial or complete dentures)
  2. Fixed replacement (bridges or implants).

Depending on the level of damage, you may need to remove the remaining teeth.

For teeth replacement, the most popular option is having dentures.

What are dentures?

These are removable false teeth made of nylon, acrylic (plastic) or metal that fit snugly on the gums in the socket where teeth are missing. Dentures are custom-made for you.

The patient chooses whether the denture would be made of acrylic or metal. The denture bases will however be made from a rigid acrylic. To ensure that your denture fits perfectly, the dental prosthetist will normally take moulded impressions of your mouth that will be used to create the denture.

The kind of dentures the dental prosthetist fits for you will depend whether you just had a few or all of your teeth removed. What you need also determines how much you need to pay. Prepare to pay anywhere at least $1,900 for upper and lower full dentures.

And if you choose to have your dentures made out of porcelain, this costs slightly higher. Upper partial dentures cost $600 upwards on average while each tooth may cost $43.

No matter the cost, both partial and complete dentures replace missing teeth and eliminate the potential problems generally caused by gaps.

Partial dentures

Partial dentures replace some missing teeth, with natural teeth remaining. They are made from acrylic with a little metal. This small metal helps clasp the dentures in place. The bases of most partial dentures are made from a rather flexible type of thermoplastic such as nylon. Though these are little expensive, but they  feel and look more natural.

Complete Dentures

Also referred to as full dentures, these are made and used when all the teeth are missing. To fully replace teeth in the upper jaw, the dentures will include a flesh-coloured acrylic base covering the gums as well as the roof of the mouth. This allows the entire set of false teeth to sit firmly in place.

Though complete dentures for the lower jaw are similar, their acrylic base is typically shaped like a horseshoe so they can avoid covering the tongue.

What to expect when getting your first denture

If you have some or all of your teeth missing, you should consider having them replaced with partial or complete dentures to restore your confident smile and ability to chew.

After you choose to have a denture, here’s what to expect between your visits to the DP and the time you’ll take to adjust to new dentures.

Fitting your denture

The DP will first take you through the steps in fitting  – explaining in details what you are supposed to expect.

They will also explain if you’ll need to have any remaining natural teeth removed before fitting the dentures.

Then he/she will remove any remaining teeth in the jaw before fitting the dentures.

Dental impression

The DP will take moulds of your mouth in order to create a denture that suits you.

+ Bite moulds

The dental prosthetist uses wax blocks to check if you’re comfortable when you bite with your denture on.  

During this phase the DP may also ask you to choose the shape and colour of your new teeth.

+ Wax models

The dentures (your new teeth) are set in wax. This helps you get a good idea of how your final denture will look.

+ Fitting

The final phase is to fit your denture. You are then given instructions on how to care for the denture.

Adapting to dentures

Once you have your new dentures fitted, you may use them. However, it’s important to understand that dentures are not exactly like regular teeth. They need a different type of care and require some getting used to.

It may feel weird to have new dentures in your mouth at first, but your tongue, mouth and the facial muscles eventually get used to it. You just need to be patient and practice speaking and eating with it.

To make the process more comfortable, your dental prosthetist may recommend using denture adhesives and cleansers. These should help you feel a lot more confident while wearing your new denture.

Note that the prices for the dentures will depend on many factors such as:

1. The work that’s involved in fitting the dental prosthetist
2. The number of follow-up appointments needed overed:
3. The type of dentures that you choose. Different dental prosthetists also charge differently for their respective services, so it’s rewarding to canvas around for the best deals.

Conclusion

Dentures can be the best thing since sliced bread for anyone who has missing teeth. If some or all of your teeth are missing, find a dental prosthetist to recommend the right dentures for you. Whatever your budget, there are a suitable plan and denture type to help you enjoy your life again.

Anyone with missing teeth will agree that dentures are the best thing since sliced bread.

Being artificial teeth, however, you have to adjust to get used to them. The first few days with new dentures may feel a little awful. But you will shortly get used to wearing them. Your mindset plays a major role in how fast you adapt to new dentures. You must  understand that a denture is an alternative to having no teeth, not a substitute for your natural teeth. They are designed to last at least 5 years. With proper care, they can even  last up to 10 years.  But just like natural teeth, your dentures need regular maintenance to last that long.

Adapting to New Dentures

Like any new experience, you’ll need to be patient with your new dentures in order to get used to them. Depending on the nature of your oral tissue, there may be slight spasms of pain within the first 2 to 3 days of wearing your new denture. You may have to put up with some soreness in the beginning, as you’ll need to leave your denture in your mouth for the first few days.

Your DP will tell you how long you should wear your dentures before you can start taking it out at bedtime and during the day for cleaning.They will also make any adjustments to your dentures as required after they have been inserted. Whichever the case, the experience should naturally improve after the first 48 hours. These two days are the most challenging.  These are among  the challenges that you may encounter and how to overcome each of them.

+ Speech is affected

New dentures may affect your speech, but this can easily be solved. . Simply practise reading out loud or singing – whichever you prefer.

Either of these will exercise your tongue and let it find the right position to produce clear speech.

Slow down if your talking is impeded. Eventually you’ll pinpoint the pace you’re comfortable in when speaking with your new denture.

+ Retention and Stability of Dentures

Unlike your natural teeth, dentures are generally less stable. No denture is expected to match the perfection of healthy natural teeth. One way to enhance retention and stability is to use denture adhesives.  But remember these will only help well-fitting dentures, not a poorly fitting one. A match stick size of adhesive is all that is required, possibly in two places. Thus, it is best to check in with your DP for a reline or a new denture if the present one does not fit well.

And note that not all new dentures need adhesives. There are some dentures that use other mechanisms to have stability and retention. For best results, consult with your DP.

+ Suction with a New Denture

It may take 24 hours for your new denture to achieve proper suction depending on the type of soft tissue in your mouth and the amount of bone available. Note that an upper denture may take longer than a lower one.

However, a full lower denture will rarely have the same suction as the upper denture. Here’s a tip: some people can make the suction of their new dentures become stronger by drinking through a straw.

+ Excess Saliva

You may frequently have lots of saliva in your mouth with new dentures. To remove excess saliva, you should drink more water.

The water also helps in maintaining the right levels of moisture in your mouth during the early stages of wearing a new denture.

Care for New Dentures

Your DP will often ask you to keep your new denture in your mouth for at least 2 days. This is a challenge given the discomfort brought about by new dentures.

Removing the denture prematurely for whatever reason may cause your gums to swell and make it impossible to put the denture back into the socket.

Bleeding may also occur and the tissue that’s been freshly operated on may be affected.

In case you feel some pain or soreness, do not hesitate to inform your DP about it.

Clean your dentures at least twice a day. Just like your natural teeth would require brushing after every meal to control bacteria, your dentures equally need regular removal and cleaning for your oral hygiene and overall health.

Massage your gums to improve blood flow. Removing your new dentures for cleaning during the day will allow you to massage your gums to boost blood flow and ease nerve tension.

Remove your dentures when going to bed. It’s recommended that you remove your dentures overnight and put them back in their socket only in the morning. At night, soak the dentures in a glass of water or denture bath  and leave them by the side of your bed.

If this is not an option for you, then be sure to find at least two other times of the day to take out your denture.

Regularly check in with your DP

Some people brag that they have not seen a DP for x amount of years, You require to get your dentures checked every 2-3 years. Your jaw and facial muscles change shape every year plus the teeth in the denture can wear down, depending what teeth you decided on putting into the denture.

Summary

Dentures improve your appearance and boost your confidence. How long your dentures last will depend on how well you look after them. To prolong their usage, follow the denture care procedures given here and the recommendations of your DP.