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Immediate Denture Q&A

Can immediate dentures be permanent? How long do immediate dentures take to make?

These are among the head-scratchers that may arise around the topic of immediate dentures. A curious concept, immediate dentures are full dentures you wear between the time of teeth extraction and receiving your long-term appliance. Essentially, they’re placeholders you wear throughout the healing period — or until your new cosmetic dentures are ready.

The poor cousin of full or partial dentures, immediate dentures are something of an enigma — and something about which you likely have questions. Luckily for you, this Q&A is about to address some of the common queries.

Can I get immediate dentures?

If you’ve lost all your teeth or just had your remaining teeth extracted, you can get immediate dentures. In fact, immediate dentures are a fairly standard recommendation for the interim between toothlessness and receiving your more permanent dentures. That said, your denturist will also take personal factors into account to determine if you’re truly a good candidate. These factors can include:

Your Oral Health

If you have advanced gum disease, your gums may lack the robustness required to support immediate dentures.

Your Bone Structure

Immediate dentures require a sturdy base. Unfortunately, bone loss, a brittle jawbone, and even orthodontic deformity can jeopardise the foundations.

Your Physical Health

Age, health-compromising habits (such as smoking), and cardiac or cancerous diseases can all affect your eligibility for immediate dentures.

The best way to know for sure is to book an appointment with your denturist.

How long do immediate dentures take to make?

On average, immediate dentures take about a fortnight (two weeks) to a month (four weeks) to make. While your denturist will have the appliance ready to place immediately following teeth extraction, you will have met with them about a fortnight to a month beforehand to determine the dimensions and custom shape.

At the initial consultation, your denturist will take impressions of the inside of your mouth, which they will then send to the laboratory. Over the next two to four weeks, a dental technician will bring your dentures to life with sharp reference to these impressions. Once your denturist receives the completed dentures, they’ll request another appointment with you for final fittings and adjustments.

How long can I leave my immediate dentures out?

You should not remove your immediate dentures for three days (72 hours) following teeth extraction — not even at bedtime. Once that 72-hour period has passed, however, you are free to take them out for between-meal rinses and daily cleaning, just so long as you continue to leave them in overnight for the first four weeks following teeth extraction. (Healing gums can be sensitive to natural air, and wearing dentures can shield them from such exposure.)

Ultimately, immediate dentures are a Band-Aid fix for healing gums — and you wouldn’t remove a Band-Aid when the wound was still fresh. Immediate dentures keep gum swelling in check, containing it to the appliance’s shape and size. If you remove the immediate dentures within three days of having them placed, your gums may balloon beyond the shape and boundaries required to support dentures.

Can immediate dentures be permanent?

Immediate dentures can be permanent with a few adjustments and a decent denture reline, but it’s generally not the recommended path. Immediate dentures exist to accommodate healing, while permanent dentures are designed with completely healed gums in mind. Once your gum tissue heals, your jawbone alignment and overall oral structure will change, meaning your immediate dentures will no longer fit your mouth’s exact shape. This may lead to issues with comfort, speaking, and chewing. 

If you want to preserve your immediate dentures — be it for reasons of cost efficiency or simply wanting to stick with what you know — this is something you can discuss with your denturist. They’ll provide professional advice and come up with a solution that works for you.

Start Your Denture Adventure at Direct Denture Care

If you’re keen to kick off your denture journey with immediate dentures, Direct Denture Care is ready to guide you through the first step. With so many services available — from denture fittings to emergency denture repairs — we’re well-equipped to restore function and aesthetics to your grin. 

Schedule your consultation with Direct Denture Care today to get the ball rolling on immediate dentures!

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