If many of your teeth are loose or painful, it may be too late to save them. In most cases, loose or painful teeth are caused by advanced periodontal disease. Periodontal disease also causes bone loss, and if it's not caught in time, your teeth may have to be removed because there's too little support for them.
Removing your teeth and replacing them with a denture may be the best way to eliminate the infection caused by periodontal disease and restore the health of your mouth. When this is all done on the same day, it's called an immediate denture. |
The procedure
To begin the process of making a denture, we first take impressions of your mouth. From these impressions, we make precise working models of your mouth, and it's on these models that we make the denture. We'll work with you to select the best color and shape for your new teeth. When your denture is ready, we'll thoroughly numb your mouth and extract your remaining teeth. After your teeth are removed, we'll immediately place your denture.
What to expect after the procedure
For the first 24 hours, your new denture will feel tight because your gums are swollen. As your bone heals over the next six to nine months, your gums will shrink and your denture will feel loose. When this happens, we'll use a temporary lining material to tighten the fit. After the period of healing is complete, we'll either construct an entirely new final denture or send your immediate denture back to the lab to be relined for its final fit.
Adjusting your denture
Some temporary problems are a normal part of adjusting to your new denture. At first, it may seem bulky or tip when you chew. You may notice increased salivary flow. Your tongue may feel crowded, and you may gag a little or have difficulty speaking. But don't worry, as you get used to your new denture, these problems will go away.
Like learning any new skill, eating with your new denture will at first feel awkward. But with time and practice, you'll make the adjustment. Nobody likes to lose their teeth, but when your teeth are infected, removing them and getting an immediate denture can improve your health, smile, and confidence.
Alternatives to Immediate Dentures
What are alternatives to immediate dentures?
Some of the alternatives to an immediate denture may be:
-Having periodontal therapy, root canal treatment, and bridges or partial dentures to keep your teeth
-An overdenture
-Implants
-Delaying treatment |
Keeping Some Teeth
Periodontal therapy may be an alternative if there's still enough sound bone around your teeth. Therapies such as root planning or gum surgery might allow you to keep your teeth. Root canal treatment may also allow you to keep your teeth. Root canal treatment is used to treat infections of the nerves of teeth. A crown can then be placed to strengthen and protect the tooth
After periodontal or root canal treatment, bridges or partial dentures could then be used to fill in the spaces.
Overdentures
An overdenture looks the same as a regular denture, but it's placed over specially prepared teeth. Retaining teeth helps preserve the bone in the jaw. |
Delaying Treatment
Unless you're in a lot of pain, you might decide to leave your teeth as they are, at least for now. But delaying treatment can be a risky alternative. If your teeth and gums are infected, they will never heal on their own. They'll just keep getting worse. Infections of the teeth and gums can lead to further tooth loss and can drag down your body's immune system, affecting your entire body. |
