New dentures can come with teething problems

Dentures Plus owner Ryan Carlton says renewed confidence, an attractive smile and the enjoyment of new foods awaits denture wearers, but a few bumps on the path there should be expected.

The unnatural feel of newly fitted dentures is the first thing most people experience, he says. However, this feeling of the mouth being too full will soon be replaced by a “new normal” and forgotten.

Similarly, the extra saliva produced as a response to having a foreign object in the mouth will go away as the body learns that the dentures are now part of you.

Until that happens, though, the mouth might try to dislodge the dentures, Ryan says, just as it would anything else that it doesn’t think should be there. This can make the dentures feel loose. However, this too will pass, along with the initial challenges of chewing.

Should sores form, these should be seen by a denture maker so adjustments can be made, Ryan says.

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“It’s a bit like with new shoes where you might get a blister. But instead of letting them wear in, with dentures we actually make an adjustment.”

Dentures Plus provides full aftercare services regardless of where a person’s dentures were made. With its own products, though, a number of high-tech processes help produce a comfortable, snug fit from the outset.

After a free, no obligation consultation, an impression is made using a specialised material known as alginate, from which a denture is formed first in wax and then acrylic. Using acrylic allows for the most hard-wearing and true-to-form denture possible.

Friendly staff and a relaxed atmosphere is matched by a willingness to share all the details of what is often an unfamiliar process for patients, Ryan says.

“For impressions, we use one of the most accurate alginates available. It’s in the mouth less than a minute and the one we’ve got now has a really nice bubblegum flavour to it."

“The wax then replicates the pink, acrylic part of the finished denture, and people can try wearing that to see how it’s going to look and feel when finished.”

Four or five visits to the clinic are usually required as the denture is refined, although much of the action occurs behind the scenes in the Denture Plus laboratory and plaster room.

With an artist’s vision, teeth are chosen and placed according to the client’s desired style, often with the tiny twists and turns to ensure the product is not only attractive but indistinguishable from the real thing.

“It’s about taking the time to deliver what the patient wants,” Ryan says.

A selection of top-quality cleaning products and solutions for home use are also available from Dentures Plus, either over the counter or online.