Complete Denture Post-Operative Instructions

Care for Complete Dentures and What to Expect

• At your delivery, we will make minor adjustments to your dentures to ensure that they feel comfortable when you leave. 
• Wear the dentures for 24 hours - high spots will make marks on the gums so we can selectively reduce on the inside surface of the dentures. If your appointment is not the following day, take your dentures out at night, then keep them in for the 24 hours leading up to your follow-up appointment.
• By doing this, we will only need to remove exactly where we need to. The less material we have to remove, the more contact there is between the gums and the denture, and the better retention they will have. 
• The number of adjustments needed varies from patient to patient, but the average number usually falls in the one to three appointment range. We encourage you to always try newly adjusted dentures for at least five days prior to returning for another adjustment. Sometimes it just takes time for the mouth to adjust itself, and remember, the less material we remove from the dentures, the better the dentures will fit.  

While adjusting to your dentures...

• Be patient - your muscles will have to get accustomed to the feel and function of the dentures. If this is your first set of dentures, expect a learning curve for speaking and eating. If it is not your first, it will still take some time to “break in” the new dentures. 
• Do not compare them to your old dentures - like feet breaking in a new pair of shoes, your mouth will need to settle into the fit of the new dentures
• Use adhesive if necessary - start with little or none so that the muscles get trained faster. 
• Keep in mind that adding implants that retain the dentures is an option. We can place the implants then retrofit your existing dentures to snap into the implants, vastly increasing their retention in your mouth. 

Care for your dentures...

• Take them out at night and use a wet toothbrush to remove any debris. 
• Gently brush the gums to help eliminate bacteria and stimulate gingival blood flow.
• Store your dentures in a glass or container with water and a teaspoon of baking soda.
• Store-bought denture cleaners are okay, but baking soda is a gentler, chemical-free solution to maintaining clean dentures. 
• Keeping them in water overnight prevents them from drying out. Dehydrated dentures tend to crack and break more easily over time. 
• It is recommended to return for an exam, oral cancer screening and denture check once a year.