Dental Advice faq from Seattle Area Dentist

Advice Index Main Page

Please consult your dentist prior to following any advice on these pages. Disclaimer

I had all of my upper teeth removed two weeks ago and had dentures inserted immediately. A technician who is a friend of the family made my teeth so I never actually went to a dentist, just the technician and the oral surgeon. I was told to leave the denture in for several days, which I did. I started taking the denture out overnight about one week ago and have begun having increasing difficulty getting it in in the morning. I have also gotten several ulcer-like sores on my gums, which makes eating extremely painful. I have few informational resources to get answers to my questions, so I would like to know 1) whether I should keep the denture in all the time 2) how should I treat the sores and 3) is this normal or should the denture somehow be adjusted at this point?

As your tissues heal, you will find that the fit and feel of your dentures will continually change. If you are still experiencing swelling, you should probably still wear the denture at night to prevent excessive swelling which could inhibit re-inserting the denture. I highly recommend having the denture adjusted at this time to relieve the sore spots (ie- by your dentist). As your gums continue to heal, you may find that the denture will get loose and need a re-line in the near future as well to maintain proper fit. Generally, a 9-12 month healing period can be expected before your gums and bone structure completely heals.