Adjusting to New DenturesLancaster, PA

Necessary Changes to a Dental Hygiene Routine

Losing permanent adult teeth can be a problem that occurs with age and poor dental hygiene. Poor dental hygiene seems to accelerate the process of infection spreading and teeth falling out. If the infection spreads to multiple teeth or the entire mouth, then a professional will need to remove the teeth to prevent the infection from spreading and causing greater amounts of pain. Once we remove the infection, we can then insert the dentures.

Adjusting to wearing new dentures can also include a new dental hygiene routine at home. Patients will also need some time to practice speaking with the dentures. Surprisingly, people may find this more difficult than they believe since it is difficult to suddenly change one's routine. However, the benefits of wearing dentures will be worth the changes one has to make.

The dentures themselves will feel slightly uncomfortable for the first few weeks. However, patients will adjust to the dentures with time. Patients will be able to invest in natural-looking dentures and feel confident in their smile.

Different types of dentures

There are multiple types of dentures for a patient to choose. Depending on the current state of the patient's oral health, we may recommend a specific type of dentures for the patient. We will customize each patient's dentures to their teeth for a perfect fit. Therefore, patients will not have to worry about issues with the size of the dentures.

Conventional complete dentures are one type of denture that we will place in the mouth without any teeth or after we remove the last few. These are the most common form of dentures that people will wear. They consist of two separate rows for the upper and lower teeth.

Implant-supported dentures attach the dentures to metal posts in the jaw to remain in place. These types of dentures will not need removal for cleaning. However, not all patients will be able to wear implant supported dentures. We will determine the best choice for the patient during an examination.

Regardless of the type of dentures, there are multiple health benefits to wearing dentures.

Benefits of Dentures

Full functionality with a natural appearance

Dentures can look great and function like regular teeth. Patients who receive dentures can continue to eat the foods they know and love. However, patients will need to start out with softer foods before shifting to harder and stickier foods.

The reason for this is that the patient needs time to adjust to using the new dentures. However, once the patient has time to adjust to the dentures, the patient will be able to have a fully-functional mouth once again. Unlike popular belief, people will not notice that the teeth are false.

Eat whatever foods one prefers

While the patient will need to eat softer foods for the first few weeks after getting dentures, they will be able to eat their favorite foods with time. Once the patient adjusts to using and speaking with the dentures, he or she will not feel encumbered by the dentures.

Stimulating the face structure

When an individual does not have teeth in the mouth, the body will go through the process known as resorption. In this process, the body senses that there are no teeth to stimulate the nerves in the mouth. Thus, the body will leach calcium from the jaw bone and weaken the structure in the face. Resorption can cause the face to have a sagging appearance. Having dentures can help to prevent the sagging appearance in one's face.

Adjustment takes time

At G.J. Palmieri, DDS & Associates, LLC, we will go over all of the necessary steps for denture care and how long the adjustment process will take. Once the patient adjusts to the dentures, we are confident that the dentures will be a perfect fit. Call us at (717) 708-9010, if you have any interest or questions about dentures. We will schedule an appointment to examine your teeth and determine the best form of dentures to give you the appearance and functionality of a full smile.