immediate-dentures

Immediate dentures are ready to wear on the same day as your tooth extractions and can be in the form of a partial or a complete denture. There may be a few months of waiting for your gums to heal after such treatment before you can have the final dentures.

They will replace the extracted teeth while the new, permanent set of dentures are being manufactured by the Clinical Dental Technician. Having a set of immediate dentures prevents people from having to spend many weeks without any teeth and allows them to get on with their normal lives. Immediate dentures are not as effective as permanent dentures but they restore a degree of function and are an attractive alternative to having no teeth.

The procedure

Before the teeth are extracted, impressions are taken by a Dentist or a Clinical Dental Technician. A custom set of dentures are then created. This set of dentures will be fitted once the teeth have been extracted. Immediate dentures allow the gum tissue to heal once the teeth have been taken out. This healing process can take several months and you may need to return to the Clinical Dental Technician for a temporary denture reline. This ensures the dentures continue to fit properly. Once healing is complete, your Clinical Dental Technician will replace the immediate dentures with your new set of dentures. These will look and fit better.

The advantages

The most important advantage of immediate dentures is that they eliminate the need for people to spend weeks, or even months, without having any teeth. Aside from the obvious aesthetic implications of having no teeth, this also eradicates problems related to speaking and eating and allows people to continue on with their normal lives. Also immediate dentures protect the healing gum tissue. Immediate dentures also prevent changes in the structure of the cheeks; the teeth support the tissue in the cheeks so immediate dentures assume this role in the absence of the original teeth.

The disadvantages

Immediate dentures are not as effective as original teeth or permanent dentures. You won’t be able to eat hard foods and you may find you struggle with chewy foods. You will need to visit your Dentist and Clinical Dental Technician on a regular basis and it may turn out to be a costly procedure. However, the cost will be worthwhile when you get your new set of dentures and a healthy looking, natural smile.

Looking after immediate dentures

For the first 24 hours after the extraction procedure it is important to keep the dentures in place. During this time, the gums may bleed and the dentures will protect the healing sockets. After this period of time has elapsed you should take the denture out and clean it thoroughly around 4 or 5 times each day removing any blood or debris. It is important to keep the dentures clean as this will reduce the risk of you developing any complications. You will need to visit the Dentist or Clinical Dental Technician on a regular basis to ensure the dentures fit properly.

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