- Immediate dentures are needed when the natural teeth are loose, broken or beyond repair. In this procedure all natural teeth of the maxilla and/or mandible are extracted; the immediate dentures are inserted at the same time.
- Loose teeth are usually the result of Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease or pyorrhea, which is an infection of the gums and other supporting structures of the teeth that can cause the teeth to be become loose. Advanced periodontal disease, the last stage of gum disease, will cause the teeth to become so loose that chewing is difficult or impossible. It usually takes many decades for periodontal disease to reach this final stage.
- Teeth may be broken because of trauma or tooth decay. Certain individuals may be especially prone to advanced and widespread tooth decay.
- Immediate dentures are dentures which are made from an impression of the patients mouth while the natural teeth are still in place. The laboratory removes the teeth from the model of the patient's teeth and gums and fabricates dentures based on an approximation of how the patient's edentulous ridge will look after the teeth have been extracted.
- The patient is anesthetized with Lidocaine. Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or anti-anxiety drugs can be prescribed for anxious patients. The teeth are removed in a procedure that takes 1 to 2 hours. Bony prominences that might interfere with the seating of the dentures may be removed during or after the extractions.
- Patients with serious pre-existing medical conditions will need to have medical clearance from their medical doctor. Certain blood thinning drugs will need to be temporarily stopped prior to the day the extractions are done. Certain medical conditions require that the patient take antibiotics prior to the extractions.
- The immediate dentures are inserted immediately after the teeth are extracted. There is usually a great deal of swelling that prevents the dentures from seating properly at first but the patient can practice wearing the dentures from the beginning. The patient will be need to place pressure on the extraction sites by either biting on the dentures or biting on gauze. Pressure must be applied in until bleeding stops which can take up to 6 hours or more.
- Our patients are told to expect moderate to severe swelling that makes it difficult to wear the dentures for the first week. During the first week healing of the extraction sites must take precedence over wearing the dentures. After one week the patient returns for the first post-operative visit. At this one week post-op visit a temporary soft liner is placed that will permit the dentures to fit comfortable and will compensate for any shrinkage that may have occurred. The dentures are also adjusted if necessary to permit a more comfortable fit. In some cases, patients may not be able to wear one or both of their dentures in the first post-operative weeks because of pain and swelling
- The healing during the post-operative period can be divided into two stages. In the first stage the soft tissue heals and the swelling subsides. The first 48 hours of this first stage of healing is especially critical for a uneventful post-operative course. It is very important to allow the gums to heal undisturbed. The patient should not smoke and avoid coughing, sneezing, spitting, blowing the nose, or sucking through a straw. Even talking should be avoided. The first stage of healing takes at least a week but can last a month.
- The second stage of healing is the reshaping or osseous remodeling of the bones of the jaw from tooth sockets to round smooth saddle-shaped edentulous ridge. This second stage can take a full year or more.
- During the second stage of healing the patient will be seen every eight weeks or so for adjustments to the dentures and changes to the soft liner. Shrinkage of the gums is much slower during the period and may be almost imperceptible from one 8 week post-op visit to another.
- After the gums have healed and shrunk completely the dentures are relined and treatment is complete. In some cases, the dentures are remade instead of relining the original immediate dentures.This is usually done one year or more after the extractions.
Are your teeth loose, broken, painful or beyond repair?
We offer specially priced immediate denture treatment at savings of up to 50% off other dentists full fees.
We offer specially priced immediate denture treatment at savings of up to 50% off other dentists full fees.
Lucian Morse, DMD
10335 N. Scottsdale Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85253
(480) 443-0545
10335 N. Scottsdale Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85253
(480) 443-0545
