Some Facts About Dentures
Many Carmichael residents have searched our website for information from our dentists about dentures. Therefore, we would like to correct and clarify some misconceptions about dentures. Also, it is important to care for dentures, and your mouth, properly. Dentures are an investment in your health and your smile, so you want to take good care of them.
Dentures Should Fit Well
Conventional dentures should fit securely, even though they have no attachment points to your jaw. While it takes a few weeks to get used to them, after your jaw, cheek and tongue muscles become accustomed to them, your dentures should be snug. Only when you start to wear dentures should a denture adhesive be necessary. If you need adhesive after the break-in period, or at some later point, your dentures need to be refit. Our local Carmichael office, with an in-house dental lab, can make sure your dentures are readjusted properly.
Dental implant technology offers the opportunity to have “snap in” or “snap on” dentures. Four implants are usually placed in the lower jaw and the upper jaw. These implants hold the dentures fast and help preserve jawbone density. Not everyone is a candidate for dental implants, but the dentists at the Marconi Dental Group prefer to install dentures using this method whenever possible.
Dentures Take Practice
Whenever you put something in your mouth, even something that fits the teeth tightly (like Invisalign, a mouthguard or a retainer), it will affect your speech in the beginning. In the case of full dentures, all your teeth have been extracted in your upper or lower jaw, or both. Your speech may already have been affected by missing teeth. Even with the installation of dentures designed to closely mimic your former dentition, they will take some getting used to. With practice, your speech will return to what it was when you had a full set of teeth. Some people have been missing their teeth for so long that adding dentures actually ends up improving their speech greatly.
Practicing With Dentures
Some ideas for improving your speech after receiving dentures include:
- Read out loud.
- Note words you have trouble with and practice saying them in a mirror.
- Speak a little more slowly at first.
As you work in front of the mirror, note how much better your smile looks! Note how dentures are a great improvement over missing teeth. They keep the mouth looking “full,” which prevents the sunken look that is a sign of aging.
Our next article will examine the question of how to care for your dentures. Also, protecting your dental investment is important, but it is also necessary to protect your mouth. Even though dentures replace your teeth, you still need to brush your mouth regularly. More information on this subject will appear soon in another blog post from the Marconi Dental Group.