Your New Dentures
Wearing new dentures can be challenging. You are replacing teeth which have served you well over your lifetime. We at Dentfirst are committed to helping you overcome any obstacles you may encounter in learning to live with and use your new teeth. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call and speak with your doctor or our knowledgable patient care co-ordinators.

EATING:	Your new dentures are only about 30% as effective as your real teeth so it will take you longer, using smaller bites, to eat your meals. Food will get under the dentures. This is unavoidable, but with practice will be greatly reduced in time. Always chew on both sides of your mouth at the same time to balance the dentures so they won't pop up on the side with no food.
CLEANING:	Clean the dentures after every meal and before you go to sleep. Use a soft brush and water. Soak the dentures overnight in Efferdent or Polident. Fill the sink with water in case you drop the dentures while cleaning them. Do not clean the dentures with any brand of toothpaste because it will wear down the teeth and impair the fit. Your denture is made of plastic for lightness and is not as resistant to abraision as are real teeth. Never wear your dentures to sleep. This will cause gum damage and bone shrinkage as well as premature wear of the dentures. You may have been advised to wear your dentures at night if you have just had some teeth removed. This is a temporary 'bandage' and should not continue past the first few weeks at most.
ADHESIVES:	The lower denture will not be as tight as your upper, and most problems will come from the lower denture. When the teeth are new, use Super Wernets's powder or Fasteeth Extra Hold to help hold the lower denture. As your gums shrink and more space develops between your gums and the denture, you may need to use Super Poligrip or Sea Bond. Your gums shrink a little every day and your denture teeth wear down a little every day. So you will need to have your teeth refitted after 3 years and remade after 5 years.
PARTIALS:	Always insert your partial denture with finger pressure and never bite it into place. To remove the partial denture, grab the clasps with your fingernails. Never go more than one week without wearing your partial denture for at least 8 hours. Your remaining teeth will shift over time and if you wait too long between wearings you will find that the removable partial denture doesn't fit any more. Once this happens there is nothing we can do to get it to fit again. The whole process will need to be stared over and a new denture fabricated.
CALL:	Call your Dentfirst office any time you need an adjustment. We will try to see you on the same day you call. If you had some teeth removed and an immediate denture inserted, then you will need to call the office when your gums shrink. It will be time for your temporary refitting (called a chairside reline) at 0-6 months. or for your more permanent refitting (called a laboratory rebase) at 6-12 months. These refittings are due to the shrinkage of your gums and are not included in the initial fee for the dentures.
SPEAKING:	It usually takes your tongue about 3 months to adjust to the new dentures. Try speaking more deliberately and slowly to retrain your tongue for its proper movements.

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