How You Can Restore Your Smile With Partial Dentures

If you need partial dentures, you may be experiencing self-confidence issues or anxiety over the gaps in your smile. Fortunately, you can quickly fill in those gaps and give yourself back the beautiful smile that you remember.

Who needs dentures?

Anyone missing teeth (or will soon be missing after some are extracted) is a potential candidate. Dentures are false teeth but usable and realistic replacement teeth that allow people with missing teeth to perform actions like chewing easily. Wearers of dentures frequently feel more confident and comfortable with themselves. We will go through the basic steps of getting dentures to know what to expect if you decide to get them.

Making an appointment

To see if partial dentures are a good fit for you, make an appointment. At this appointment, the dentist will look at the state of your gums, decide if teeth need to be pulled, and assess the quality of the remaining teeth. They may talk to you about different options of dentures that you can get. You should ask your dentist any questions you may have about the process, including what to expect and future denture care.

Dental impressions and teeth extraction

A preliminary impression of your teeth will likely be made at the first appointment. Depending upon whether you need any teeth pulled or not, the exact process will change, but generally, it will take a few appointments, with final impressions being taken later. If any teeth are extracted, your gums may need a few additional days or weeks to heal. This is all to gather information and prepare your mouth for the perfect denture. However, the denture may even need to be checked and adjusted after it is made.

Follow-ups

After the denture is made, you should expect follow-up appointments. The first should happen about a week or so after you receive the denture. At each appointment, the fit and comfort of the denture will be assessed. Adjustments to your partial denture at this point should be slight, ideally happening in the time frame of your visit.

Denture care

Now that you’re regularly wearing your comfortably fitting denture, you must make sure to take proper care of it. You should clean it after every meal with a soft-bristled brush and mild soap. Either a soft toothbrush or a special denture brush can be used with hand or dishwasher soap. Stiff brushes and caustic cleaners like bleach can damage your denture. It is also essential to use warm water instead of hot water not to warp the material. When cleaning it, you should take precautions if you accidentally drop it, such as putting a towel or bowl of water below it. You should soak the denture in water or a dentist-approved cleaning solution nightly, as well.

If proper care is not taken, you risk damaging or staining your denture, which could cause costly repairs.

Request an appointment or call Desert Breeze Dentistry at (480) 864-4118 for an appointment in our Tempe office.