Denture procedure part 4: Finishing touches
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Our finishing touches
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Exceptional quality with our dentures
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Getting used to our dentures
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Advice for mastering wearing dentures
You’ve probably realised if you’ve dipped into this blog that we are passionate about dentures. You’ve also more than likely noticed that there seems to be an endless amount of impressions that are taken to get to the final prosthetic – our high-quality dentures that are almost indistinguishable from natural teeth.
Mirroring the anatomy of the patient’s mouth is a skilled process, and just before we move on, it’s worth taking a look at the anatomy illustration to check out how much detail the Denture Clinic has to harvest to produce its dentures that have found satisfied patients throughout the UK and overseas.
The upper jaw giving reference to the key anatomical data need to make the prosthetic
The lower jaw which presents another raft of information that’s required by our principal, Steven Burchell
With the dentures polished and finished by our onsite laboratory technicians there comes the ‘moment of truth’ when they are tried in the mouth of the patient.
“We are turning out exceptional quality in our work with the best fitting dentures I have seen in all my years of prosthetic provision. Many don’t need any adjustment.
“I confess to micro-managing the quality of all we do. It’s a seamless operation that never leaves the building, and the exchange of crucial patient information between clinicians and technicians happens daily,” says Steven.
After an initial try-in, any fine adjustments can be made, but before that happens the accuracy of the bite is evaluated, and we also want to know how well the patient can speak. Even excellent dentures can cause change to phonetics, but this is generally a temporary issue.
For those who wear full dentures the way they speak can also yield information that is so valuable to getting false teeth just perfect. For example, a whistle on ‘s’ sounds often indicates that the anterior palate is slightly too thick. It’s science that demands a real depth of experience.
Applying the finishing touches in our onsite lab.
For those wearing dentures for the first time
A great deal of skill has been used in constructing our dentures, and they must be cared for if you are to get the best service from them. We’ve listed a few pointers that may help you if you are new to oral prosthetics. See our blog post on ‘getting used to new dentures‘ for more information.
The denture settling in period
New dentures can take up to eight hours to settle into a mouth. They can fill big and mastering them can appear foreboding. Don’t worry! This is normal for those who have never worn an oral prosthetic, and you can expect to undergo a period of awkwardness while getting used to them.
First impressions
The teeth on your dentures have been placed as near as possible to the exact position your natural teeth occupied. This will support your lips and cheeks and give you as natural an appearance as possible. Your first reaction may be that you have suddenly acquired a considerable mouthful and that your lips are being pushed forward excessively by teeth that seem too big.
Again, don’t worry. The feeling of fullness should soon wear off as you become accustomed to the new dentures in your mouth.
You may also think that because they feel very big to you, they will appear big to others.
This is not so, and there should be no need for embarrassment. We take extreme care that the teeth chosen are the correct size.
You may also have a feel of gagging or excessive salivation, but after you have worn the dentures for a short time, these sensations will disappear.
The time required to become accustomed to new dentures varies with each: some master their dentures in a very short time; others require a week or two.
Whatever it takes, however, remember that the Denture Clinic will continue to support you and offer advice and adjustments.
Speaking with dentures
Speaking may seem strange at first – especially for those who have managed without teeth. This is because your tongue has to learn where the teeth are.
It is a good idea to read aloud to yourself for short periods during the first few days.
Taste and dentures
Patients occasionally report that the sense of taste is affected when they first wear dentures. They sometimes think that this is caused by the palate being covered by the dentures. Taste buds are only present on the tongue, not in the palate. There are two: First the feeling of the food being squashed against the palate is lost; second although the taste buds are working quite normally, the message they send to the brain is interrupted by the large number of sensory nerves in the mouth, telling the mind that a strange new object is in the mouth.
As you become more accustomed to your dentures, your brain pays less attention to these messages from the sensory nerves. When this happens, food regains its taste. Read our blog post for more information about taste and dentures.
Eating with dentures
When you receive your new dentures, you should take a few lighter meals until you are used to them.
Attempt to chew on both sides with the teeth. This will help prevent your dentures from tipping and placing unequal forces on the bite.
Excessive saliva with new dentures
Because an artificial denture is a new object in the mouth, you may at first develop an excessive flow of saliva. This reaction is perfectly natural and after a while, it will reduce as you become accustomed to the dentures. The best way to overcome this temporary discomfort is to persevere in wearing the dentures.
If denture problems persist . . .
Don’t ever suffer in silence. Tell us; we are here to help.
We hope this blog has been helpful and has given a little insight into the clinical and technical skill that is invested in the Denture Clinic’s false teeth. Of course, we have dealt with a lot of ‘generalisms’ in this blog series, and we must point out there are many more complex procedures required for some prescriptions we dispense. If you’re having denture problems or are battling with failing teeth, call us . . . Please. Our first consultations are complimentary.
If you missed the earlier articles you can find them below:
Denture procedure part 1: The first consultation
