FAQ Dental Information - Denture and False Teeth
Q. How do you clean your dentures?
A. When cleaning your dentures, you should first rinse away loose food particles thoroughly. Then moisten your toothbrush and apply denture cleanser. Brush every surface, scrubbing gently to avoid damage.
Q. How many times a day does the denture need to be cleaned?
A. The denture needs to be cleaned two to three times daily.
Q. What is good oral hygiene when you have full dentures?
A. In addition to taking care of your dentures, taking care of your mouth also is vital if you wear full dentures. This includes brushing your gums, tongue, and palate every morning with a soft-bristled brush before inserting your dentures. This stimulates your tissues and helps remove plaque.
Q. Do dentures need to be replaced?
A. Dentures will need to be relined, remade, or rebased due to normal wear over a period of time and normal shrinkage of your gums and bones.
Q. What should you do if your dentures crack or break?
A. Call your dentist immediately. Normally, dentures can be repaired quickly, often on the same day. Damaged dentures can cause additional oral health problems, so see your dentist right away. Never attempt to repair dentures yourself. They require professional repair and adjustment.
Q. Why can't you fix dentures that break with glue?
A. Glues often contain harmful chemicals and are not effective in the proper repair of dentures.
Q. What are partial dentures?
A. Partial dentures are dentures that replace only a few missing teeth.
Q. How do you wear a removable partial denture?
A. Removable partial dentures are attached to your natural teeth with metal clasps or devices called precision attachments.
Q. How long will it take to get used to wearing a partial denture?
A. Your partial denture may feel awkward or bulky for the first few weeks, but your mouth will eventually get used to it.
Q. How long should you wear a partial denture?
A. Initially, you may want to wear your partial denture all the time. Your dentist will give you specific instructions on how long it should be worn and when it should be removed. Generally, your mouth tissues need to rest so it is advisable that you take out your partial denture at least 15 minutes per day.
Q. Will the partial denture change the way you speak?
A. Your partial denture may help your speech. It can be difficult to speak clearly when you are missing teeth. However, it also will take time to get used to it.
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Find A Dentist To Help You With Denture Repair
A frequent cause of a broken, chipped, or cracked denture is the impact of dropping it on the bathroom tile or into a sink. Sometimes damage to dentures happens when they are left in a place where children or pets are able to get at them let a dentist help you with that denture repair.
Dentures should be handled and stored carefully once out of the mouth to avoid chipping, breaking or damaging the pink denture base or the denture teeth.
If your denture is broken or damaged, visit a dentist to make sure that the denture repair provides the best denture fit, function, appearance and oral health.
Do-it-yourself denture repair can cause more damage than good to your denture and result in your needing a new denture. Do-it-yourself denture repair also can be very destructive to the gum tissues and bone ridges and cause irritation and sores.
A dentist has the training and qualifications, as well as the right instruments, supplies, and tools best suited to properly perform a denture repair.
If your denture is broken, keep any broken pieces of the denture. To prevent distortion of the denture, store the pieces in room temperature water until your dental appointment. The dentist will examine you and the denture and determine how to best restore the denture to its original condition.
Some denture repair, such as replacing a denture tooth, can be accomplished quickly, often in-office on the same day. More complicated breaks, such as a fracture of an edge that rests on the soft tissue inside the lips or cheeks, may involve obtaining impressions of your mouth and having the denture sent to a dental laboratory for the denture repair.
The ability to properly repair a denture depends upon the extent of denture damage, the past home care of the denture, the age of the denture and the fit of the denture at the time it was broken.
To maintain the best possible oral health and to avoid causing more damage to your denture, see a dentist for evaluation and denture repair. Often, home denture repairs require more extensive and costly reconstruction later.
by Denise J. Fedele, D.M.D., M.S.
+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.