Instructions for
Full Dentures
ADJUSTMENT PERIOD
New dentures require an adjustment period. It will take some time to get used to speaking and chewing with your new dentures. It also takes dentures several days to “settle in” to the tissue of the mouth. The fit of your denture will improve as the tissue adapts during the first week.
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SORE SPOTS
It is expected to have some sore spots as the denture settles into place. We will likely schedule at least two adjustment appointments after you receive your denture. If sore spots arise after these adjustments, please call the office and we can schedule another appointment. These appointments are free of charge for the first six months following the delivery of your denture.
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EATING
Start slowly with eating - it helps to start with a soft diet, cut up food into small pieces, and chew with food on both sides using your back teeth. This helps to balance the denture. Avoid biting into food using your front teeth – this will cause the denture to tip and fall out. Chewing with dentures is less effective than chewing with natural teeth and it takes some time to adjust. Dentures also cover the taste buds on the roof of your mouth, so you may notice a difference in the taste of food.
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HOME CARE AND CLEANING
After eating and when you remove your denture at night, brush your denture using warm or cool water and a denture brush with mild soap (unscented dish soap). Do not brush it with toothpaste – this can cause abrasion of the material. Dentures can be broken if they are dropped – when brushing your denture place a washcloth in the basin of the sink or fill it with some water to minimize the chance of your denture breaking if it falls.
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It is very important to take your denture out every night to allow the tissue to rest. If a denture is worn 24 hours a day, infections and inflammation of the tissue underneath can occur. When you take your denture out, either soak it using a denture cleaning tablet like Polident or soak it in plain water. Never let your denture dry out – this can make the material brittle.
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DENTURE RELINES
Without teeth, the jaw bone slowly shrinks over time and this causes the shape of your tissue to change. This change happens faster during the first year after teeth are extracted. As more time passes, the change slows down. This can cause your denture to become loose and not properly touch the tissue. A denture reline adds material (either soft or hard) to the inside of the denture to improve the fit. If you are in a healing denture, multiple relines may be necessary during the healing time. In permanent dentures, relines may also be necessary as the tissue changes shape.
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DENTAL APPOINTMENTS
Dentures require professional care. We suggest that all denture patients have their dentures and gum tissue checked on a yearly basis. This assures that any problems are identified and corrected before damage is done to the mouth. At these appointments we will also clean your denture to remove any tartar and staining.
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If you have any questions or concerns, please call the office at 651-452-2116.
