Common FAQs About Full Dentures

Full dentures are the perfect replacement for several missing teeth. They are usually recommended to edentulous patients or persons with severe teeth loss from accidents or serious teeth decay. Notably, full denture installation can take a couple of days, depending on the number of teeth missing. Typically, patients scheduled for a full denture procedure have questions regarding the treatment; hence, familiarising with pre and post-surgery implications is essential. Here are the frequently asked questions regarding full dentures.

Is Chewing With New Full Dentures Difficult? — Once your gums have healed from a full denture procedure, you can resume eating your favourite foods. However, full dentures require getting used to, particularly for patients who have been edentulous for a long time. In fact, it can take some people a couple of weeks to get used to chewing food with new full dentures. Therefore, dentists recommend that patients start small with soft foods cut into manageable pieces. When chewing, use both sides of the mouth and take your time. Over time, you get used to eating with full dentures, allowing you to add other meals until you resume your regular diet. However, you should avoid extra-hard foods such as bones and sticky snacks like candy.

Are Full Dentures Cosmetic? — The health implications of losing several teeth are one of the primary reasons dentists recommend full dentures. Notably, tissue loss in the jawbone and gums often accompanies tooth loss. Therefore, full dentures help prevent the loss by making the jawbone active. However, full dentures are also cosmetic for several reasons. For instance, missing several teeth in a row can affect your self-esteem because you cannot speak normally. Moreover, you may avoid smiling in social gatherings lest you expose your toothlessness. Additionally, facial muscles, around the cheeks, tend to sag over time since there is no tissue to anchor them in place. Therefore, since full dentures help build self-esteem by restoring your smile and facial muscle tightness, they can be considered cosmetic.

Can I Use OTC Denture Adhesives? — Denture adhesives are essential for retention, stability and bite force. However, the adhesives tend to lose their property over time, and dentures begin to feel loose. When it happens, you might be tempted to turn to over-the-counter (OTC) adhesives to fix your dentures. However, it is the last thing you should do because you could be allergic to the ingredients in some denture adhesives. Moreover, loose full dentures are mainly caused by gum and jawbone tissue changes; hence, using OTC denture adhesives might not solve the problem. In this regard, you should avoid OTC denture adhesives until after a dentist has evaluated your dentures and identified the cause of looseness.