Temporary. Day 1 to about month 6
Healing denture
Goes in the day your teeth come out. Gets loose as you heal. That is expected.
New dentures. The first six months.
You get two sets. A temporary one to heal in, a long-lasting one to keep.
Long-lasting. About month 6 on
Final denture
Made after your gums finish healing. Fits better, chews better. The one you keep.
The first one is a bandage.
The second one is your teeth.
Your gums shrink for months after teeth come out. A denture made on day one fits on day one and rocks by month three. So you heal in a temporary set, and the final set is made to fit the gums you end up with.
- Day 1Teeth out. Denture in. Leave it in for 24 hours.
- Months 1 to 5Gums shrink. It loosens. Soft relines keep it snug.
- About month 6New molds, a try-in, and your final denture.
Watch six months go by.
The gum shrinks. The denture does not. A reline fills the gap until the final one is made.
Day 1
A snug fit.
The denture sits right on the gum. It works like a bandage over the sockets.
Six rules for your new denture.
- 1
Expect it to get loose
That is healing. It is not a bad denture.
- 2
Soft food, small bites
Chew on both sides at once, so it does not tip.
- 3
Out at night
After the first 24 hours, sleep without it.
- 4
Clean it every day
Denture brush and a soak. Toothpaste scratches it.
- 5
A little adhesive is OK
Needing more and more means it is time for a reline.
- 6
Yearly checkup
Bone keeps shrinking slowly for life. Dentures need relines over the years.
Written by Dr. Peter Bonifatto, DMD, a general dentist in Las Vegas. General information, not a diagnosis. Healing times, visits and relines vary from person to person and are decided at your appointments. Reading this page does not create a doctor-patient relationship.
Thinking about dentures?
We will walk you through the plan, the visits and the cost before anything comes out.