Denture Information
Addressing to Denture Problems
Patients need to understand that purchasing a new dental appliance and wearing it without any problems, is not something that happens to many people. Patients may (or may not) undergo problems at initial stages and must seek an answer for symptoms and solutions.
I always recommend that patients take the time to ask and find out important and particular information to help alleviate the stress of not knowing about their new dental appliance and how, quite possibly it may or might not effect them.
Here are some questions that I believe patients should have answered:
I am home with my new dental appliance, now what?
Now that you’re home and in your comfort zone it is your time to get comfortable with your new dental appliance. Get excited about your newly designed teeth! At all times, it’s best to try to avoid conjuring up the stress of not knowing what to expect, and how you’re going to deal with the pain and other possibly future problems. Positive thinking is healthy thinking.
Yes dentures are a difficult appliance to get use to, but with a strong mind and healthy steps, getting use to your dental appliance can take a shorter amount of time.
Will I experience any major problems with my newly made dentures if they’re not made right for me?
It’s difficult enough to have to learn how to properly use and wear your new dental appliance. It’s even more difficult when your dental appliance is fitting poorly which, in due course creates tremendous strain, stress, friction and pain on the gums due to an improper fit. Bad fitting dentures can lead to all sort of oral issues. The most common issue includes tender spots, which, if not treated quickly can lead to serious painful infections.
Will I have problems eating?
All denture patients must be conscious of the fact that, initially, eating with a newly made dental appliance is not going to be easy and could quite possibly be very uncomfortable. It’s important to remember that eating properly is vital to a healthy mind a body, so make sure your diet is carefully attended to. The last thing we want for our patients is for their nutritional status to reduce, as it will eventually lead to major health issues. Comfortable dentures will in most cases allow you the everyday pleasure of eating in ease, so make sure that when you leave your private prosthetist, your appliance is in perfect working function.
Patients should also be made aware that once they have decided to entered the beginning of the denture life, patients might possibly need to make various alterations with their eating habits. These alterations, or rather, solutions, may include the need for particular soft foods to be cut up into small pieces, which will allow the patient to eat with ease. Also, these alterations will include, for the patient to stay away from tough foods, such as, crunchy fruit, uncooked vegetables, and most of all, tough meat.
However, the good news is, that all patients will return back to their normal eating routines, as the patient will adapt to their dental appliances.
If I don’t clean or wash my denture(s) everyday, will that cause me problems?
It’s highly recommended and expected that full and partial denture wearers clean and wash their teeth and their dentures as often as they can. When I say ‘as often as you can’, I’m really saying EVERYDAY. Bacteria can be found in any crevice, and it’s important that patients be made aware of this problem. The contact between a tooth and a denture is the home for bacteria and calculus. It’s crucial that you take the steps to ensure your oral hygiene is constantly monitored to prevent major infections and breath odours.
Dentures need to be bathed and washed in lukewarm or cold water. It is also extremely important that you use the correct utensils to carefully and thoroughly clean your dental appliance. The use of incorrect cleaning devices can lead to breakage or possible inefficient cleaning.
Will I be able to communicate with my new dental appliance?
Initially, patients may experience difficulty making particular noises and sounds, vocally. Patients who do find speaking difficult after the appliance has been positioned, should most definitely practice their specking skills. The approach to this minor and fixable problem is to, speak quietly, slowly and fluently, which will allow the patient to gradually get their tongue around the specific words. With these exercises taken on board by the patient, they will also help to keep their dental appliance from clicking and clacking whilst speaking, and within time, the patient will no longer have the embarrassing problem apparent.
If I wear my dentures to bed, will that speed up the adjusting period or cause problems?
It’s crucial that patients be made aware that under no circumstance should the patient wear a dental appliance for an extensive time or whilst sleeping. Excessive wear of the dental appliance could lead to a number of different problems. These problems may involve, improper support, which can distress the jaw mechanism, commonly leading to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. This should not be taken lightly as it could disrupt sleeping patterns and cause the patient immense pain.
Just like one should remove their dentures before bed, it’s highly important that a partial denture wearer do the same. Whilst asleep with a partial denture in the mouth, it’s vital to be aware that large amounts of bacteria and calculus deposit itself between every tooth and the partial denture.
Will I experience any soreness?
Age affects the mouth and all of its soft and hard oral tissues, undergoing continually depleting changes and causing loose, ill-fitting and painful dentures. This is an indication that adjustments or improvements to the dentures are necessary. Ultimately the work undertaken will help restabilise and relieve any soreness caused by the unacceptable faulty dentures and hopefully improve the situation for the patient.
Any sign of a loose fitting appliance could instantly create tremendous strain on your jaw and gums, directly making them targets for pressure points. These pressure points are home to sores and possible infections. Shrinkage of the jawbone and neighbouring gum tissues do not support the dentures to rest comfortably on the gum ridge, which is the main cause of ill-fitting dentures.
It’s important that patients understand that it is not acceptable to consume excessive amounts of alcohol and smoke a large number of cigarettes if they are under the influence of prescribed medication for soreness, infections or pains inside the mouth. The consumption of any of these products could prolong or intensify any painful oral issues.
Can I fix my own dentures if they break?
Dentures are delicate and can easily chip, break or crack if not handled with care. Patients, who believe they can fix their own denture, must understand that, people who try to fix or modify their own dentures cause the majority of denture damages. Because of this, it is imperative to see a dental specialist for any repairs or adjustments. Therefore, under no circumstance should patients try to mend, adjust, correct, glue back together or fix their own appliance. By taking a ‘fix-it-yourself’ stance, it could inevitably create a far worse problem, than the original one.
It has been statistically proven that there are over 60 million people currently wearing dentures. Further investigations have shown to suggest that more than 1/3 of that 50 million figure that are over the age of 65 don’t have any teeth at all. Other statistical evidence leads us, as practitioners to believe that 1/3 of the denture population contain less than half of their natural teeth. With such a high population of people wearing denture, it is crucial that each patient is addressed to and examined perfectly to ensure that each denture is fitted to the exact size and dimensions to every individual patient.
| 
