Adapting to prosthetic teeth requires patience and determination. Wearing dentures for the first time can be challenging, whether using the full, partial or another version prescribed by your dentist.
This blog will explore several tips to help Australians using dentures for the first time, seamlessly transition to their new lifestyle, and enjoy long-term peace of mind.
Please remember that there’s no need to fret, fume, or worry. With the right guidance and a positive mindset, you can overcome the initial challenges of wearing dentures and enjoy a high quality of life.
Are Bottom Dentures Difficult to Wear?
Bottom dentures can be challenging to wear because their reliance on gravity can make them unstable. In contrast, saliva between the upper dentures and the palate creates a seal and forms a vacuum effect. A dentist pressing the dentures pushes air out and creates negative pressure or suction that secures them into place. Coordinate pressure among the tongue, lips, and cheeks stabilise the dentures while the user is talking or eating.
Unfortunately, patients with bottom dentures must learn to control their tongue, which requires time and effort. Tongue coordination and instability make these dentures more challenging than the upper version.
Denture newbies must practise patience and determination when adjusting to this tooth replacement tool. They may experience several issues, including the following:
- Difficulties talking and/or chewing.
- Looseness and slippage.
- Excess saliva.
- Misalignment.
- Gingival inflammation.
- Pain or throbbing.
- Infection.
Improper-fitting dentures can cause chronic irritation, triggering inflammation, ulcers, and infection. As the Gold Coast’s trusted dental professionals, we encourage patients to visit their practitioners when these issues arise. Your dentist can analyse your situation and create the appropriate intervention plan, guaranteeing comfort and excellent long-term oral health.
Dental Prosthetics and Bone Loss
Bone loss can cause poorly fitting dentures. Missing tooth roots in the jawbone trigger this biological process and cause your jaw and facial shape to change over time. Consequently, your dentures may not fit properly.
Inappropriate-fitting prosthetic teeth put pressure on specific gum and jawbone areas. They can also cause irritation and inflammation, affecting the bone. Finally, dentures can create spaces where food particles and bacteria accumulate, increasing the risk of gum disease and infections.
Denure Issue Remedies
While wearing dentures with bone loss can be challenging, you can overcome them by contacting your dental professional and making the appropriate adjustments. We recommend keeping several considerations in mind:
- Adaptation: One of the best things about dentures is adaptability. Your dentist can adjust your prosthetic teeth to accommodate oral bone structural changes. He can reline the dentures or consider implant-supported alternatives to stabilise them.
- Facial appearance: Bone loss can collapse your facial structure and adversely affect the fit of your dentures. We encourage patients to visit their dentists regularly to ensure their prosthetic teeth fit properly.
- Partial dentures: These dentures rely on the existing teeth for support and stability. Your dentist may make adjustments to optimise the fit and comfort.
The specific strategies that address ill-fitting dentures include:
- Hard reline: This strategy shapes the denture base using an acrylic material, which can endure but may not be ideal for people with sore or sensitive gums. We recommend hard relines for patients who require frequent adjustments and better stability.
- Soft reline: In this scenario, your dentist will use flexible rubber material that accommodates sensitive and sore gums. Dentists use this lining after tooth extraction. However, it does not endure as long as hard relines, which last up to two years. The soft version lasts only six months to one year. It also has a less secure fit against the gum tissue.
- Denture adjustments: Dentures that create pressure points, pinching, irritation, or discomfort may require adjustment. Your practitioner may alter your artificial teeth’s shape or thickness for a snug, stable fit. Even a minor dental adjustment can significantly enhance the comfort and stability of your dentures.
Your dentist may prescribe new dentures if you’ve been using them for over five years or experiencing chronic inflammation. Substantial jaw structure modifications may require new dentures to guarantee a proper fit.
Adapting to Dentures
People need four weeks to grow accustomed to wearing artificial teeth. Although this transition can be challenging, you can adapt by following these tips:
- Wear your dentures the entire day: This strategy allows you to grow accustomed to how they feel in your mouth. It also allows your oral cavity to adapt to your prosthetic teeth. You will also get used to using them while eating and talking.
- Remove and clean your artificial teeth nightly: Remove your dentures and soak them in a cleaning solution with baking soda, detergents, enzymes, citric acid, antibacterial agents, and flavouring, such as mint. Regular cleaning helps ensure optimal dental health and relaxes your jaw muscles. Exposing your gums to air helps prevent bacteria accumulation.
- Manage saliva production: Dentures can produce excess saliva, which can be inconvenient. We recommend that patients drink plenty of water and swallow frequently to normalise saliva production.
- Bite smaller: Dentures can make eating and chewing arduous because they cover a larger area than natural teeth. Bite smaller and consume soft foods such as oatmeal when wearing prosthetic teeth for the first time. As you gain confidence, you will get used to eating hard, crunchy foods such as nuts and meats.
- Exercise facial muscles: Your cheek muscles help guide food before swallowing it. Similar to working out other body parts, exercising your facial muscles before and for a few weeks right after getting your dentures facilitates eating.
For instance, smile repetitions can help you achieve this objective. Smile as wide as you can, hold for five to ten seconds, and repeat up to ten times. Do this exercise once daily or as prescribed by your dentist.
- Practise patience: Accustomising to dentures isn’t an overnight process. Your oral cavity muscles require time to adjust to your artificial teeth. Regular use will facilitate this process and improve your quality of life.
Please remember that soreness is common when wearing a removable prosthetic device for the first time. If soreness and pain persist, please consult your dentist.
Our trusted, highly experienced Dentures at Varsity team can assist you with your Gold Coast dentures and ensure a comfortable fit and a seamless transition to your new lifestyle. Please contact us to schedule an appointment today.