DENTURE SERVICES - FAQ

At Slave Lake & Athabasca Denture Clinic, we offer a wide range of denture services. We receive many questions from our clients regarding our services, the types of treatment plans available and tips and suggestions to take care of the dentures. Here, you can find answers to most of the frequently asked questions, which you may have about denture services and denturists. We suggest you bookmark this page so that you can refer back in future. Read below to learn more.

WHAT TO EXPECT & HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR NEW DENTURES

YOU ARE AN INDIVIDUAL

You have new dentures, which fit and feel different from your previous dentures or your natural teeth. The most important factor that has to be considered when you have your new dentures is, no two people are the same. Hence, you should never compare the time taken by you to adjust to your dentures with the time taken by another person. What is annoying and painful to you might not be the same as others. Some people, who have a larger and stronger bone to support their dentures, will find it easier to adjust to their new dentures. Avoid considering the comments of others who say, “I have never faced any trouble when I had my new dentures on.” Usually, many people forget the problems they faced while adjusting.

SORE AREAS WITH NEW DENTURES

If necessary, please make an appointment within 24 to 48 hours after the insertion of your new dentures. Sore areas might develop within this time period and it is important to find and adjust the cause of the sores. Do-it-yourself adjustments to your dentures will only make it worse. Hence, never attempt to adjust your dentures by yourself. If you find it necessary to remove your dentures due to excess soreness, re-insert the dentures 24-hours before your adjustment appointment. This will help us find out the pressure area on the tissues and pinpoint precisely where to adjust the dentures.

SPEAKING WITH NEW DENTURES

Lot of practice and perseverance is required while you are learning to talk with your new dentures in place. In this situation, reading aloud helps you pronounce words distinctly. You need to practice those words and sounds that give you the most difficulty. With your new dentures on, it takes quiet a time for your tongue to learn the different positions to make good speech sounds.

CHEWING WITH NEW DENTURES

It usually takes 6-8 weeks to learn chewing with new dentures. Practice is required to learn to eat with your new dentures. Initially, limit yourself to a diet which contains soft foods that are easy to chew. Later learn to eat foods that are more difficult to chew. Then take small bites and chew slowly and if possible, try and learn to chew on both sides of your dentures simultaneously. The lower denture has less retention capability compared to the upper denture. As your cheek muscles, lips and tongue tend to displace your dentures, you should not develop the habit of displacing them with these muscles. Instead, you need to train these muscles to assist in keeping your dentures in place. It is better to place the food between the teeth towards the centre of the mouth rather than between the front teeth when biting with your new dentures. This helps in reducing the movement of your dentures on the ridges. If you are facing trouble keeping your lower denture in place during eating it may be the result of poor tongue habits. In order to have your lower denture stabilized while eating, it is important for your tongue to touch the inner surface of the lower denture.

INCREASED SALIVA WITH NEW DENTURES

It is common to have a greater amount of saliva in your mouth when you begin to wear new dentures. This condition will improve as you become accustomed to wearing them.

ORAL HYGIENE WITH DENTURES

Out of 24 hours, your dentures must be left out of your mouth at least for 8 hours. This helps the tissues to rest and recover from the pressure applied on them by the dentures. If the required amount of rest is not given to these tissues, it may lead to chronic irritation, development of certain fungal infections and rapid loss of bone. This bone is very vital, as it is needed to provide support to the denture in the future years.

Keeping your mouth and denture clean is very important. In order to avoid serious oral health problems, it is important to clean your dentures regularly, rinse your mouth after every meal and brush the tissues of your mouth and tongue with a soft bristle toothbrush. These help in removing the accumulated debrisand provide stimulation and increased blood circulation.

LONGEVITY OF DENTURES

Both the denture and the tissues will change overtime and you can never assume that dentures will last a lifetime. It is suggested that your mouth be examined on a yearly basis to evaluate the fit of your dentures.

The shrinkage and resorption of your ridges is very common and this results in loosening of your dentures. It also contributes to a change in your facial expression due to the settling of dentures on the ridges. Sometimes, there are chances that you will notice these changes within a few weeks. For some people it may not occur for many months or even a year or more. Changes in your ridges are beyond the control of the denturist and if it becomes necessary to refit (or reline) your dentures to correct this change, an additional fee will be charged.

You should never try to repair, reline or adjust the dentures yourself. This could cause damage to the tissue and underlying bone on which the denture rests.

LIMITATIONS OF DENTURES

Dentures cannot replace your natural teeth completely. It can never function as your natural teeth. It is necessary to learn about the limitations of your dentures and adjust your living habits accordingly as dentures only function about 25% as efficiently as your natural teeth. We cannot guarantee any denture against breakage or wear.

CARING FOR DENTURES

It is important for you to keep your dentures clean as accumulation of food debris around and under the teeth can cause irritation to the tissue and unpleasant odours. After every meal, dentures have to be cleansed thoroughly under running water. You can also use different commercial denture cleaners to clean your dentures but it is better to use a non-abrasive cleaner if you don’t want to alter the surface of the denture.

PERMANENT RELINES

Important: If these are your first dentures after having had your teeth extracted, you will require a permanent reline after 6 months post extractions, after healing and shrinking of the gum tissue. (You will be charged for a reline at that time.)

WARNING! Dogs are extremely attracted to dentures- if you leave them within the reach of a dog, you might consider them lost to you!

THE BEST WAY TO CARE FOR YOUR REMOVABLE DENTURES

If you want to keep your dentures clean, free from stains and looking their best, follow the tips below:

Remove and rinse dentures after eating

If you want to remove food debris and other loose particles, you can run water over them. A towel can be placed on the counter or in the sink to avoid the breakage of the denture in case you drop them.

It is very important to clean your mouth once you remove your dentures

A soft bristle toothbrush and gauze on your natural teeth and a soft toothbrush can be used to clean your tongue and palette.

Scrub your dentures daily

It can be done by using a denture cleaner, mild soap or a dishwashing liquid. A brush or soft toothbrush can be used to remove food, plaque, and other deposits. Avoid stiff bristle brushes, strong cleansers, and toothpaste, as these are too abrasive and can damage your dentures. Toothpastes advertised as ‘whitening’ are especially abrasive and should be avoided with dentures.

Handle your denture carefully

Be sure you don’t bend or damage the plastic or metal clasps while cleaning.

Soaking your denture overnight will help you improve its functionality and durability

Usually, most types of dentures need to remain moist in order to keep their shape. Place the denture in water or a mild soaking/cleaning solution overnight (such as RENEW denture cleaner). Note: Don’t soak dentures with metal attachments overnight as the metal will tarnish- 20 minutes is recommended. (Tip: Renew denture cleaning solution doesn’t need to be discarded after only a single use. It can be used for a few more soakings up to a week. Just make sure the denture is rinsed and brushed before soaking.)

Rinse dentures well before putting them back into your mouth (especially if they were soaked in a cleaning solution)

The cleaning solutions can contain chemicals that can be harmful if swallowed.

Schedule an appointment

Your denturist will help to ensure a proper fit to prevent slipping or discomfort. Come see us promptly if your dentures become loose. Loose dentures can cause irritation, sores and infection, and can break easily because they are ill fitting.