Complete Dentures

In cases where teeth need to be extracted, the structure of your gums and surrounding tissues needs to heal before your final dentures are made. In such cases, an immediate denture will be placed to enable the gums and surrounding tissue to heal properly. With immediate dentures you don’t have to be without teeth while your gums are healing. Immediate dentures can be easily modified during the healing process, which could take several months. During your consultation at Gosforth Dental Surgery, your dentist will be able to discuss with you the healing process and the benefits of an immediate denture.

If dentures fit your gums correctly, then natural gum suction can keep them in place. Some people prefer their dentures to be fitted with a fixture implant for greater control when speaking and eating.

Denture technology has, over the past few decades, become a fine art. Dentures today are “personalised” to suit you and look completely natural. Our false teeth dentures are fabricated with high quality, award winning, life like, natural and strong Engima teeth from Schottlander. In 2004, Schottlander were honoured to receive the Queen’s Award for their Enigma teeth and denture system. To have a Queen’s Award is to be acknowledged as the best in your field. Engima denture teeth have 27 different shapes of teeth available, with 17 different shades, so you really get the exact smile you want.

During the process of making your new dentures at our Newcastle Dental Practice, there will be a “try-in”. The try-in is the stage where your teeth are positioned in wax so you and your dentist can preview and discuss the appearance. Changes in appearance can be adjusted at this stage, so you will be happy with the end result.

It will take a number of visits in order to fabricate a denture, with each visit involving precise treatment steps that are essential to ensure that a comfortable fit and the appearance you desire is achieved. After your initial consultation at our Newcastle Dental Practice, your dentist will discuss with you in detail the length of time, number of appointments and the procedures that will be involved in order to fabricate your new dentures.

Although complete dentures look almost identical to natural teeth they often take some getting used to because they are not fixed in place. Most people take a while to get used to wearing dentures. You may find that your speech is affected and the dentures feel a little odd. In addition, it is completely normal to experience excessive saliva flow, minor irritation, and a feeling that the tongue does not have enough room for a short period. This should only be temporary. At Gosforth Dental Surgery, your dentist will always book you in for a review appointment to do any necessary adjustments needed and to make sure that you are completely satisfied with your dentures.

Patients may feel a slight discomfort for the first few weeks as a complete denture wearer, especially while eating hard foods. Eating will take a little practice. Start with soft foods cut into small pieces. When you become more used to your denture, add other foods until you return to your normal diet.

Initially pronouncing certain words may require practice. At Gosforth Dental Surgery, your dentist will recommend reading out loud and repeating difficult words during the first week of using dentures.

Dentures are fragile so it is important to take good care of them. Remove them daily and clean them using a soft-bristled brush and denture cleansing solution. Avoid abrasive rinses or toothpastes, as these can damage dentures. Never use boiling water to rinse dentures, as this can cause it to become misshapen. It is vital to brush the dentures on a daily basis to remove excess food and plaque. Keeping the gums, palate, and tongue clean should be a priority as well to maintain oral health.

One of the most common reasons that people break their dentures is when they drop them in the sink. We therefore always recommend that whenever you clean your dentures it is a good idea to fill the sink with a couple of inches of water. Then if you accidentally drop your dentures they will fall into water and not onto a hard ceramic sink. Brush them as you would teeth and place them in a chilled glass of water to soak overnight. At Gosforth Dental Surgery, your dentist will recommend using the denture cleaning tablets to ensure that the biofilm layer is removed adequately at the end of each day and so will keep your denture feeling fresh and new for many years.

Dentures should ideally be kept out of the mouth when patients are asleep to allow the soft tissues to recover. We do not advise patients to wear their denture overnight. Removing the denture allows the gums to rest, and research has shown that removing them for at least 8 hours per day promotes improved oral health. We advise patients with immediate dentures to wear them for the first night.

If dentures become chipped or broken then seek professional advice. Attempting to fix dentures at home can result in further damage. At Gosforth Dental Surgery we have an on-site specialist Prosthodontist which means we can make custom-made dentures more quickly and provide you with new dentures that meet your expectations.

Dentures are custom made to fit your mouth and you shouldn’t need a denture fixative. However, over time, dentures may become loose and not fit as well. When this happens, some people prefer to use a fixative for a short time before having them replaced. However, using too much fixative may result in ‘oozing’. Using smaller amounts may provide better adhesion. A good fixative applied in the morning should last all day. More patients seem to be opting for treatment with implants now. Despite their high cost, they have a dramatic effect on improving the quality of life. Contact your dentist at our Newcastle Dental Practice for more information about securing your dentures to dental implants.

It is important to attend regular check-ups with your dentist to check the fit of your dentures and monitor oral health. Regular appointments allow us to spot early warning signs of oral illnesses. The shape of your mouth will change over the course of time and this may cause your dentures to start coming loose. If this is the case your gums may become irritated and you may feel less confident when you are eating. See your dentist at Gosforth Dental Surgery if you notice signs of loose dentures, and do not attempt to adjust them. With regular professional care, a positive attitude and persistence, you can become one of the millions of people who wear their dentures with a smile.

This depends on many factors, including how you take care of them and also how much you use them in terms of general wear and tear. Over time, dentures can become loose as your gums shrink and your bite changes. Loose dentures can cause sore areas and make eating and talking more difficult. When this happens, you may need a new set of dentures, or in some cases, your dentist at Gosforth Dental Surgery may recommend a simple modification of your existing dentures by relining them to solve the problem.

Dentures are not the only option for missing teeth. Dental implants are fast becoming the most popular option for patients with missing teeth, but they are not suitable for everyone and can be expensive. Contact your dentist at our Newcastle Dental Practice for more information about your treatment options.