Dentures / Partial Dentures Specialist

What are dentures?

Dentures are removable dental plates for the mouth that replace missing teeth and surrounding tissues.

Two types of dentures depend on the patient’s needs. Complete dentures are only necessary when all the teeth are missing, and removable partial dentures, also known as partial dentures, fill the gaps among your teeth to protect and support your natural teeth. Dr. Hannah Baek of Healthy Smile Dental offers both options based on her patients’ needs.

How do dentures look and feel?

Dentures are designed to resemble your natural teeth and minimize any noticeable differences.

Dentures might feel a bit foreign or loose when you first wear them. After a few weeks, the muscles in your mouth adapt to keeping them in place, making insertion and removal easier.

Once new dentures are involved, you may also experience minor irritation and an increase in saliva flow. These effects should subside as your mouth adjusts to the appliance.

Eating may also require some adjustments. It’ll help to cut your food into smaller pieces and use both sides of your mouth to chew. Avoiding extremely hard or sticky foods can also help ease the process.

Do I wear my dentures 24 hours a day?

Dr. Baek will likely advise you to wear your dentures 24/7 only during the first couple days after receiving them. It might be uncomfortable to keep them in, but it helps detect sore spots where the denture will probably need adjusting.

Once your denture is corrected, you should be sure to remove them when you sleep so your gum tissues can rest. The tongue and saliva can also undergo the normal stimulation and cleansing process.

How do I take care of my dentures?

Practicing good dental hygiene is still necessary with dentures. With the dentures removed, brush your gums, tongue, and the roof of your mouth to stimulate tissue circulation, and remove plaque.

It’s also important to brush your dentures daily, just as you would treat your natural teeth. This process removes food particles and plaque and helps keep the artificial teeth from staining. Using a soft-bristled brush is recommended to avoid scratching the dentures.

When you aren’t wearing your dentures, make sure to keep them immersed in water inside a covered container to keep them from warping.