My mom needs dentures. She has horrible periodontal disease and it’s making her breath smell awful. I went with her to her dental appointment. She has already lost 8 teeth and more are coming out. The dentist was talking too fast and mumbled something about dentures and he said something about an immediate denture. Now I have to find out for my mom what he was talking about. So what is an immediate denture and what can you tell us about them? Do you have any helpful information for us? Thanks. Natasha
Natasha – An immediate denture is a complete removable denture that is placed the same day natural teeth are removed.
What You Should Know about Immediate Dentures
- One of the obvious advantages is that the dentures are placed immediately. Your grandmother won’t have to spend a day without teeth. Before her teeth are removed, it’s easier to make the denture teeth in a shape similar and size to her natural teeth.
- They dentures cost more than traditional dentures.
- More time is needed to construct them.
- Because an immediate denture is made before all of the teeth are extracted, as the gums heal, the dentures will become loose and need to be refitted—perhaps several times. At times, the dentures can be relined, or it is possible that a new denture may be needed.
Four to five visits may be required to make an immediate denture. In some cases, if there are back teeth that need to be extracted, they are removed in advance of the date the dentures are placed to allow healing time. Otherwise, the dentures would irritate the gums.
Ensure Your Questions about Dentures Are Answered
If you have additional questions about your mother’s options, schedule a visit to her dentist to discuss them. It’s important that you are clear about the treatment options before a final decision is made. It’s okay to ask her dentist to speak slowly so you understand the options.
You should also ask about the treatment plan for your mother’s periodontal disease. Get a second or third opinion if you don’t receive satisfactory information from her dentist.
One option you may want to read about on LaVacca’s site is securing dentures with dental implants. This will make your mother’s dentures stable so they won’t slip around or fall out.
This post is sponsored by American Board certified prosthodontist and Naperville implant dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.
