What To Expect from Your First Month with Dentures

When you first get your new dentures, there’s going to be a lot to get used to. Many of these things are going to be good: you’re going to be able to eat more foods than you could before, and you’re probably going to have a newfound confidence when interacting with others.

However, there are some other adjustments that you’re going to have to make when you first get your dentures. Some of these will be to your lifestyle, while others will be to the prosthetic itself. If you’re curious, here’s what the first month with dentures tends to look like.

Managing Discomfort

When you wear your dentures, your gums and the soft tissues in your mouth are constantly in contact with the acrylic. This is not a problem once you get used to it, but the adjustment typically takes about 30 days. In that time, you might find that your gums are a little bit tender, or that you start to develop denture sores in some areas of your mouth.

You can manage this discomfort by adhering to a soft food diet for the first 30 days of wearing your dentures. This will put less pressure on your gums. You may also need to rely on over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen—just be sure to take these as directed on the bottle.

Occasional Relines

Dentures, particularly full dentures, need to be molded specifically to your gums for them to stick firmly in place. Your dentist will usually make sure that your prosthetic fits well before you leave with them, but. It’s common for occasional wear and tear or healing to cause this fit to change.

That being the case, it’s common for patients to need to undergo relines, either soft or hard, during the first month or so of wearing their dentures. This is especially necessary for patients who receive their dentures immediately after a tooth extraction, as the healing process usually causes the swollen gums to shrink. If you chose an immediate placement for your dentures, you’ll likely need several relines during the course of your first month of wearing them.

Speaking Clearly

Talking is mostly muscle memory, and when you get your dentures, that muscle memory is going to have to change. It usually takes a little bit of time for people to get used to speaking with their dentures, but this can Be made easier with diligent practice. You might want to find time to read aloud or to speak with a confidant that you trust in order to make speaking easier.

If you find that it’s consistently difficult to talk while wearing your dentures, it could be that they don’t fit properly, in which case you should talk to a dentist about a reline

About Our Practice

At Springhetti Dentistry, we know that changes to the state of your oral health can be anxiety inducing. That’s why before beginning any large treatment, including dentures. We take the time to get to know you as an individual. This allows us to get a better sense of your needs, what you want from dental treatment, and how we can make the process as easy as possible for you. If you have any questions about dentures, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (317) 875-7645.