Getting Used to Your New Dentures

COLORADO SPRINGS GETTING USED TO YOUR NEW DENTURES

Some patients find the experience of wearing a denture for the first time to be challenging. A denture is a foreign object, and unfortunately, it cannot duplicate the exact feel and function of your natural teeth. It will be a new sensation that will take you a period of time to adjust.

We’ll make every effort to help you meet the challenge and satisfy your expectations. Our practice has fabricated thousands of dentures for patients over the years, so they are very experienced in recognizing and addressing issues that may occur.

TIME, PATIENCE & WILL POWER

New dentures can be a somewhat trying experience for some patients. Initially, dentures often will feel strange and bulky and will cause a feeling of fullness of the lips and cheeks. In time, these feelings will subside, and you will feel more comfortable. Time, patience, and will power are your biggest allies.

OTHER SYMPTOMS

You may also experience slurred speech, gagging, excessive salivation, and funny or diminished taste. Again, these issues usually disappear over time. However, if they continue, please contact our office to let the dental staff know about your particular difficulty. We’re here to help you!

LEARNING TO CHEW WITH YOUR NEW DENTURES

Learning to chew with new dentures takes time. Start with soft foods and gradually introduce more difficult foods. Chew on both sides of your mouth at the same time to stabilize your teeth. Avoid biting into foods with your front teeth, as it may dislodge your dentures.

LOWER DENTURE CHALLENGES

It is especially difficult to adjust to a lower denture because it “floats” on your lower gums and will not have the suction that your upper denture has. It will move around in your mouth, even out of your mouth, until you have mastered it.

Try resting your tongue against the inside front edge of the lower denture to help hold it in place. Until you learn good tongue and lip control, adhesives are recommended. Adhesives may also be useful for upper dentures. If you are an existing denture wearer and have become accustomed to adhesives, you most likely will have to continue using adhesives for your dentures.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS

At first, you may want to consider wearing your dentures all the time, even at night, to adapt to them more quickly. After you have become accustomed to them, you should take them out at night and follow a good cleaning routine.

It is common to feel sore places on your gums as you adjust to your new dentures. If you develop a sore spot, rinse your mouth with warm salt water and return to the practice as needed for a denture adjustment. Adjustments are typically free for the first 60 days and are an expected part of any new denture.

Some of the challenges described above can be overcome with denture stabilization implants. As a current or future denture wearer, we encourage you to learn more about these implants as an option to improve your health and overall lifestyle.