Immediate Dentures

As you probably know, dentures are artificial teeth used to replace one or more missing teeth. Dentures may make a good choice for you if you have lost some teeth due to disease or injury. 

There are quite a few types of dentures available today. For purposes of this particular article, we’re looking at immediate dentures.

What should you know about immediate dentures?

There are two main types of dentures: partial and complete. Partial dentures are helpful if the patient has some remaining natural teeth, while complete dentures are used when a patient has none of their natural teeth remaining.

There is also another type of treatment option: immediate dentures.

What are immediate dentures?

Immediate dentures are a temporary type that you may receive immediately following the removal of your teeth. Following the extraction of the teeth, a patient must wait a few weeks or months before they are fully healed and can be fitted for their permanent dentures. Intermediate dentures help fill this gap in time so that the patient has some teeth in place until the arrival of their permanent dentures.

Immediate dentures are not custom-fitted like permanent ones. You may think of them as placeholders that are marking time while your permanent dentures are being prepared.

Immediate dentures allow you to get your smile back immediately and bide your time while you wait for your permanent dentures to be crafted and fitted.

After Tooth Extraction

If you are undergoing multiple extractions, you should keep your immediate dentures in place for the first 24 hours. You’ll return for a subsequent appointment within a day or two.

Once 24 hours have passed, you can remove and clean your dentures after eating meals. You can clean your dentures using a toothbrush and warm water.

It’s important to wear your dentures during the daytime so that you can get accustomed to them. If you leave them out too long, the soft tissues in your mouth can swell, making it difficult for your dentures to fit properly.

There is an adjustment process that will take place as your swelling goes down. This can cause sore areas where your dentures are rubbing against your mouth. When needed, you can return to your dentist for periodic adjustments to increase your comfort. Once the extraction sites heal, you should find that your dentures have become stable and comfortable.

How To Care for Your Immediate Dentures

  • Remove your dentures while sleeping to promote increased blood circulation to your gums and help minimize bone loss.
  • When your dentures are out of your mouth, always keep them in water or cleaning solution so that they do not dry out. Gently scrub them each day using liquid soap or denture cleaner.

For More Information

To receive more information about dentures, or to explore other treatment options like bridges and dental implants, please reach out to us at your earliest convenience.

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