What are Immediate Dentures?
When many of your teeth are loose or painful, they may
be beyond saving. This condition is usually caused by
advanced periodontal disease or by decay. Periodontal disease
causes bone to be lost; if it's not caught in time, there's
so little support for the teeth that they have to be removed.
Removing your teeth and replacing them with a denture may be the best
way to eliminate the infection and restore the health of your mouth. When
the entire procedure is completed in one day, it's called
an immediate denture.
To begin the process, Dr. Levin first takes
impressions of your mouth. From these impressions,
precise working models of your mouth are made. It's
from these models that the dentures are made.
Dr. Levin will work with you to select the best color and shape for your new
teeth. When your denture is ready, he'll extract your remaining teeth. Prior to removing your teeth, you will be sedated and very relaxed. The medication for the sedation is taken by mouth one hour prior to the removal of your teeth.
Dr. Levin will remove your teeth painlessly. You should feel no pain during this procedure.
As soon as your teeth are out, your denture will immediately be placed in
your mouth. For the first 72 hours, YOU MUST KEEP YOUR DENTURE IN YOUR MOUTH UNDER ANY AND ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. The denture acts as a bandage and aids in the healing process. Frequently, no stitches are placed as the denture holds everything in place. This is controlled healing. When the denture is removed, the gums can swell and not heal properly. This is uncontrolled healing which we do not want. In the case of a sore spot, immediately call our office for an appointment, and if necessary, place cotton between the sore place and the denture (or Seabond-a soft denture liner available at the drugstore) until you can see Dr. Levin for an adjustment. As your mouth heals, over
the next four to six months, your gums will shrink and your
denture will feel loose, especially the lower since there will be less supporting bone than the upper. When this happens, use any type of denture adhesive that you like and you will be using more and more during this healing process. In the event the lower gets very loose during healing, you can obtain a temporary "reline kit" at the drug store that will fill in the spaces that resulted from the healing process. You will continue to use the denture adhesive with the temporary liner, but you wont need as much.
After this period
of healing, when the shape of your mouth has stabilized, Dr. Levin will have you return for a reline appointment. We ask that your denture (and mouth) is free of any adhesives as impressions will be taken in the morning and the final fitting will take place in the afternoon. This is the only time, ever, you will be without your teeth (appx 5-6 hours). Visit our beautiful city while I strive to make your dentures fit as tight as possible.
Some temporary problems are a normal part of adjusting to your new
denture. At first your denture may tip when you chew due to the uneven healing process. Some areas heal quickly, some more slowly. You may notice increased salivation. The denture may seem bulky, and you might gag a
little. Your tongue will feel crowded and you might have difficulty
speaking. Like learning any new skill, at first it will feel awkward to eat
with your new denture. But with time and practice, you'll make the
adjustment.
Nobody likes to lose their teeth, but when they're infected, removing
them and getting an immediate denture can improve your health, smile and
confidence.
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