Partial and Full Dentures

Unfortunately, for many reasons, people lose some or all of their teeth. There are many problems that can arise from the loss of teeth, for example:

Inability to properly chew food

Change in facial appearance and structure

Drifting of teeth

Bone loss

Partial dentures are used to attach to regular teeth and replace the ones that are missing. They are constructed of light-weight metal alloy or tissue colored acrylic.

Full dentures replace all missing teeth and can look very natural. They are removable or can be attached to implants for more stability.

Post Surgery Instructions

Healing, following oral surgery, is usually fast and uncomplicated if you follow the directions below:

Bleeding: Bite on the gauze for 30 minutes. Replace them with moistened gauze for another 30 minutes if fresh, red blood is present. If you experience excessive bleeding, please contact our office.

Do not smoke, spit, or use a straw today, as you may disturb the blood clot, causing bleeding, slow healing, and/or a dry socket.

Do not drink any soda, alcoholic beverages, or anything hot today. Eat cool, soft, nutritious foods today.

Do not overexert yourself during the next 24 hours.

Beginning tomorrow, rinse gently with warm salt water to keep the site clean.

The Points Checked Off Below Apply To You:

Sutures (stitches): a) Were not placed. b) Were placed, you need an appointment to have them removed. c) Were placed, you do not need to have them removed. They will dissolve by themselves in a few weeks.

Pain: a) You have not been given a prescription for pain. You should not experience much discomfort. Take ibuprofen (Advil) or Tylenol for mild discomfort. If the pain is more than these drugs can control, please call us for a prescription. b)You have been given a prescription for pain. You may elect to try managing the discomfort with ibuprofen (Advil) or Tylenol before filling the prescription.

Antibiotic: a)You have not been given an antibiotic. It does not appear you will need antibiotic therapy. b)You have been given a prescription for an antibiotic. Please take medication as directed until all the tablets are gone.

Cold Application: a)Not necessary for your surgery. b)Use cold packs (ice in plastic bags) 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off on the outside of your face near the surgery site.

You should be healed from this surgery very soon. Please call us if any questions arise.

Post Treatment – Removable Partial Dentures

We have done our best to provide you with well-fitted, functional, and esthetic removable partial dentures. We feel confident that after a few weeks of becoming adjusted to the new dentures, you will have years of satisfaction and use from them.

The following information will be helpful to you at this time:

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: Usually, your mouth will have a few “sore spots” after wearing the dentures for 24 hours. These areas can be relieved with very little effort. Please call us and we will schedule an appointment for you right away.

Chewing: The new bite (occlusion) may feel uncomfortable for a period of days. We will adjust the contacting surfaces of your teeth as needed.

Cleaning the dentures and your mouth: Your dentures can be cleaned easily by using a denture brush and dishwashing soap or toothpaste made for dentures. Both the partial denture and the natural teeth must be cleaned on a daily basis to reduce the chance of new dental decay starting. Use fluoride containing toothpaste. Denture soaks are also useful for the denture. Brush your gums with a regular toothbrush once per day to toughen and clean them. When the dentures are out of your mouth, leave them soaking in water.

The future: Your jaw bones and gums shrink up to 1/32 of an inch per year when your teeth are missing. This shrinkage of the gums is one of the main disadvantages of dentures. Because of this shrinkage, you should plan to have your dentures and oral tissues evaluated at least every 6 months by us. We will inform you when relining or rebasing of the denture is necessary. Wearing ill-fitting dentures for too long without refitting may cause severe bone loss. Occasionally a clasp may feel loose. It is easy for us to tighten this for you. We always check this for you during your regular check-up appointment. If you need help any other time just call us. Do not try to tighten it yourself. You may break it.

We look forward to helping you adjust to, and enjoy your new partial dentures.

Post Treatment – Immediate Dentures

You have just had an immediate denture placed in your mouth. The following information will assist you to understand the sequence of events during the healing period:

Teeth have been removed from your mouth. Stitches may have been placed to help the mouth heal. If so, they will dissolve by themselves, unless we tell you differently.

Dentures have been placed to replace your missing teeth and gum tissue. Today these dentures will feel large and bulky. It will take some time for the dentures to feel normal in your mouth. The dentures may cause your speech to be altered for a few days as well as increased saliva production. This will disappear soon.

Do not take the dentures out of your mouth today. We will do so tomorrow. The new dentures serve as a bandage similar to a cast on a broken arm during initial healing. If you take them out early it will increase the amount of time needed to heal. After the initial denture removal and adjustment, you may remove the dentures as needed for cleaning.

Some discomfort is usually present when teeth are removed and immediate dentures are placed. The discomfort is due to one or two reasons:

The trauma of removing teeth. This will heal rapidly and go away by itself.

The denture may have a pressure spot. If so, we will remove it as soon as you tell us about the discomfort. It will not go away by itself.

You may take ibuprofen (Advil) or Tylenol to relieve any discomfort. If you have been given a prescription for antibiotics, be sure to take it until it is gone.

If needed your dentures will be relined with a soft liner to refine its fit to the healing supporting tissues. The soft reline is included in the cost of your denture for 1 year.

Healing from tooth extractions continues for up to 18 months. Shrinkage of gums and bone is obvious during that time, but it slows thereafter. Most patients will need to have a permanent reline of the denture after complete healing usually 12-18 months after the initial surgery. This reline is not included in the fee for the immediate denture. The estimated fee for the reline will be $250-$300 per arch. If you have dental insurance it usually covers part of the fee.

Post Treatment – Complete Dentures

We have done our best to provide you with a well-fitted, functional, and esthetic denture. We feel confident that after a few weeks of becoming adjusted to the new dentures, you will have years of satisfaction and use from them.

The following information will be helpful to you:

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: Usually, your mouth will have a few “sore spots” after wearing the dentures for 24 hours. They can be relieved with very little effort. Please call us and we will schedule an appointment for you right away.

Chewing: The new bite (occlusion) will not feel completely comfortable for a period of days. We will adjust the contacting surfaces of your teeth as needed.

Upper vs. Lower Dentures: Your upper denture will rest comfortably in place with moderate to strong “suction.” Although your lower denture will have good stability, it is infrequent that “suction” can be expected on a lower denture. However, we suggest you avoid denture adhesives unless you have significant difficulty because they alter the fit of the denture over a period of time.

Cleaning the Dentures and Your Mouth: Your dentures can be cleaned easily by using a denture brush and dishwashing soap or toothpaste made for dentures. Denture soaks are also useful. Brush your gums with a regular toothbrush once per day to toughen and clean them. When the dentures are out of your mouth, leave them soaking in water.

The Future: Your jaw bones and gums shrink up to 1/32 of an inch per year when your teeth are missing. This shrinkage 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 one time a 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 serious oral diseases.

We look forward to helping you adjust to, and enjoy your new dentures. We will see you for any needed adjustments free of charge during the first six months.