Denture Questions and Answers

I’ve got my new dentures, now what?

To maintain the fit and feel of your new dentures a few important guidelines must be followed. The most important is maintaining cleanliness. After each meal you need to remove your dentures and rinse them thoroughly. If you have partial dentures you also need to brush the clasps and the supporting teeth. This should have been demonstrated to you. Lastly, in the interest of your gum tissue’s health it is best that you remove your dentures while sleeping unless otherwise instructed. Doing the above will ensure your teeth and gum tissue’s health and increased longevity of your denture.

I’ve got a sore spot. What do I do?

Don’t try to fix it yourself. Call the office and we can set up an appointment to evaluate and make any adjustments that may be necessary. You may be asked to leave your dentures in for one evening prior to your appointment to ensure that the sore spot is easily visible. In the interim period before your visit you can rinse with warm salt water rinses to alleviate any discomfort.

My dentures keep falling out. Why?

There are various reasons, but suffice to say that the construction and successful wearing of a denture is dependent on many factors which cannot all be controlled by your dentist. The shape of your mouth, the quality of your saliva and the presence or lack thereof of any teeth will make the largest determination of denture stability. There are many people who successfully wear dentures, but for some they can be problematic. If you have continued problems a denture may not be the solution for you.

As an interim measure in the retention of loose dentures you may try some of the dental adhesives on the market. You may also be due for a reline. Call the office for an evaluation appointment.

I’ve broken a clasp on my partial. What can I do?

In many instances the clasp can be repaired. This usually requires 2 days for completion.

I’ve lost the precision attachment in my partial.

These are designed for easy replacement in the office. Usually all that’s needed is a quick 10-20 minute appointment. Call the office for an appointment.

I’ve broken my denture. Can I fix it myself?

If you’ve broken your denture don’t attempt to put it together with any commercial adhesives. You can displace the parts in such a manner that it becomes very difficult or impossible to achieve a proper repair. We can usually have dentures repaired that day if brought early in the morning.

A tooth fell out of my denture. What can I do?

If the tooth is intact, bring it with you. I can evaluate it for reinsertion into the denture and may be able to complete the repair in a few short minutes. If the tooth has broken I will need to send the denture out to the lab which may take a day. As in any repair if brought in before 9:00 am we should be able to have it completed by late afternoon.