IMMEDIATE DENTURES

The term immediate denture is applied to any denture that is planned and constructed with the intention of placing it in your mouth immediately upon the removal of teeth. They have the advantage that you do not have a waiting period with no teeth present. This can deal with possible embarrassing appearance problems, but a rigid timetable of follow-up treatment is required for the most successful outcome.

• It is important that the denture/s be placed immediately after surgery, and that it is left in place for 24 hours.
• You will then return to your dentist who will remove the denture/s, examine the mouth and make any necessary adjustments to the denture/s. .
• During the following seven days you should follow the post-surgery instructions, removing the denture/s after eating so that the mouth can be thoroughly rinsed and the denture/s cleaned, and the placing the denture/s back in the mouth. .
• After about seven days you should see your dentist again so that the denture/s can be removed in order that the biting surfaces may be made more regular. This is achieved by recording the relationship between the upper and lower dentures and grinding the tooth surfaces to achieve an even bite. .
• No denture is permanent in the sense that once you have a denture/s it will last a lifetime. Immediate dentures require regular checks because of the changes in the underlying bone that occurs after your teeth have been removed. You will therefore be called in at around three- monthly periods for up to 12 months after the denture/s have been inserted. At any of the review visits the dentist may recommend tissue conditioning, relining, rebasing or remaking to ensure denture fit and comfort, and to avoid damage to the valuable underlying bone that helps hold the denture in place. .
• You should discuss the ongoing fees for these treatments with your dentist, as each of these steps have costs that will need to be met by you, so it is important that you understand these fees. .