You'll usually talk "funny" with new dentures for a few days to a few weeks, with significant improvement in 15-30 days as your tongue and facial muscles adapt to the new oral landscape, but some might take a couple of months for full comfort. Practice reading aloud, speaking slower, and using denture adhesive helps speed up acclimatization, though you should see your dentist for persistent clicking or poor fit.
For most people, it can take a few days to a few weeks before talking feels “normal” again. Some need more time, especially for lower dentures. Don't worry; with daily practice, your speech will improve.
Your speech may be slurred and you may not be able to enunciate your words as well as you could before. This is normal and will improve with practice. In the meantime, try speaking slowly and clearly. Over time, you'll get used to your new dentures and will be able to speak normally.
Dentures can initially affect your speech due to the adjustments required by your tongue and lips. However, with practice and patience, you can overcome these challenges and improve your speech clarity. Dentures provide support to your lips, cheeks, and tongue, enabling better articulation of sounds.
Try the following to see what helps your mouth adjust more quickly:
Here are some practical tips to help you speak clearly and confidently with your new dentures:
Scheduling a consultation with your dentist allows for a professional evaluation of your concerns. Identifying specific issues, such as discomfort or poor fit, helps address the root causes of dissatisfaction. Exploring solutions, including relining, adjustments, or new dentures, provides options for relief.
If you want to know if your dentures will feel normal, the answer is yes. You may have recently gotten the teeth, or perhaps you are considering getting them. You might want to know what to expect. The good news is that today's prosthetics feel more natural than ever, and you can get accustomed to them quickly.
Seeking Custom Fit & Quality
Understanding how to avoid a denture face involves seeking dentures that are custom-fitted and of high quality. A precise fit is crucial for maintaining facial contours and preventing discomfort, while high-quality materials ensure durability and better support for your facial muscles.
Perhaps the most common problem denture-wearers experience is dentures that don't fit properly. Over time, your gums and jaw undergo natural changes that can cause dentures to slip and lose their fit. As a result, dentures rub against the gum and can create very uncomfortable soreness and swelling.
Talking with Dentures: Tips, Tricks, and What to Expect
Throughout the first few days, you may experience soreness, bleeding and swelling—this is normal. To avoid infection and help your mouth recover, skip straws, spitting and smoking. Make sure to keep your denture in—even when sleeping—in these first few days.
One of the most common things people forget to do if they have dentures is to brush both their teeth AND dentures. If you neglect your oral hygiene routine, bacteria can accumulate on your dentures. You should gently clean your dentures at least twice a day, especially after eating, to remove food particles.
When you speak out loud, you'll be able to hear which words you have the most trouble with. Many new denture wearers have difficulty pronouncing “F” and “S” sounds. Try saying the following tongue twisters a few times a day: Tiny-tot Tad tasted very little treats.
Partial dentures will help you speak clearly, but it may take a few weeks for you to get used to talking with them. Your speech may be slurred for a few weeks.
Will I ever be able to eat normally with dentures? Adapting to dentures may require a few weeks, but once your mouth strengthens, you'll find you can enjoy a wide variety of foods. However, some foods aren't ideal for denture wearers, such as chewing gum, popcorn, whole nuts, steak, and sticky candy.
“Monkey mouth” (also called “denture face” or “chipmunk cheeks”) describes an unnatural facial appearance caused by poorly designed dentures that create excessive lip protrusion, puffy cheeks, or an overstuffed look.
Denture cleansers and denture adhesives are products patients and/or their caregivers may consider. Like natural teeth, dentures should be cleaned daily to remove food particles and bacteria, and to help prevent dentures from becoming permanently stained.
The "333 dental rule" refers to two different concepts: a hygiene guideline (brush 3 times a day for 3 minutes, replace brush every 3 months) and a temporary toothache relief method (take 3 ibuprofen tablets, 3 times a day, for 3 days). The hygiene rule promotes better habits, while the pain management rule helps control inflammation and pain before a dental visit, but requires caution as it's not a cure.
Permanent dentures typically offer superior comfort because they're made after your gums have healed completely. Your dentist takes impressions of your fully healed mouth to create dentures that fit like a glove. They're less likely to slip around while you're eating or talking, and they usually feel more natural.
Prolonged soaking for more than 12 hours can sometimes lead to a buildup of bacteria or other harmful substances. To maximize the benefits of soaking, consider the following: Use Clean, Cold Water: Lukewarm or cold water is ideal for soaking, as hot water can cause the acrylic to warp.
Chronic gum issues, abscesses, and bone loss are all risks tied to keeping unhealthy teeth. Dentures provide a clean, stable alternative that doesn't harbour the same bacterial risk when properly maintained. Replacing failing teeth may reduce the frequency of infections and help preserve a healthier oral environment.
By the time we're about 12 years old, most of us have all our adult teeth. But even after that, our teeth can still move and change, and adults might lose them for various reasons. Adults generally experience tooth loss later in life, usually between the ages of 50 to 70 years old.
But to answer your question: No, you should not be embarrassed to wear dentures. Wearing dentures is a common and normal solution for people who have lost their natural teeth due to aging, injury, or disease.
It helps increase stability and create a seal that prevents particles from getting trapped between your gums and dentures. Many find their dentures fit and security to be adequate without the need for denture adhesive. Saliva is all that's required to keep dentures in place for most.