Complete And Partial Dentures

WEARING:

• unless instructed otherwise, dentures/partials should not be worn at night; the oral tissues need time to rest,
• when your dentures/partials are out of your mouth, they should be kept in a moist environment; place the denture/partial into the container provided and add a small amount of water,
• do not place the denture/partial or container in direct sunlight or on any appliance that emits heat,
• when wearing a lower complete denture, the tip of the tongue should rest on the front, inside plastic of the denture base just below the teeth.

• your dentures should be thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis with a denture cleanser (cream or paste) and a brush; also, periodically soak your denture in a denture cleaner, such as Efferdent or Polident,
• stubborn stains on complete dentures may be removed by soaking in a solution of 8 oz. water and one tablespoon of Clorox for 15 minutes; this should never be used on partial dentures (with metal clasps, etc. ),
• remember to brush your ridges, palate and tongue,
• clean your appliance over a bath basin that is partially filled with water (this will reduce the probability of breakage if you drop the appliance),
• if your denture/partial has a soft liner, use a very soft brush and gently scrub the tissue bearing surface.

• adhere to a soft diet for the first 7-10 days; GO SLOW,
• at first, rely on your knife and fork for most of your chewing; eat slowly and deliberately,
• it is very important to chew your food bilaterally; divide your bite of food and chew on both sides,
• front denture teeth are primarily for looks, it is rare to be able to eat com-on-the-cob and apples without difficulty.

• you should expect a diminished biting force and a loss of touch and temperature sensations,
• an increase in salivary flow, speech problems, gagging and biting the cheeks and tongue are normal adjustment problems; these will normally resolve within 6-8 weeks,
• all dentures produce sore spots; when sore spots occur, you may remove your appliance and rinse your mouth with warm salt water, and always call the office for an adjustment visit; it is important to never attempt to correct the problems