Many people say their dentures feel bulky and too big for their mouths. Others report that the new dentures feel too loose. Saliva production increases and your gums and jaw muscles may feel sore and tired.
It can take a few weeks to adjust to dentures, but once your mouth is strong, you can eat just about any food. There will always be some foods that aren't denture-friendly, like chewing gum, popcorn, whole nuts, steak, and sticky candy.
Dentures are not attached to your jawbone and teeth permanently because they are removable dental devices. Hence, dentures are extremely comfortable to wear. Chewing or biting on your food can become a matter of concern because of your missing teeth.
Initially you might feel like there is a lot in your mouth and that the dentures are too bulky. It doesn't take long for the body to adapt to this new sensation with continued use. Your denture may be slightly uncomfortable at first: the soft tissues in the mouth aren't used to being in constant contact with materials.
Like braces, your dentures will feel like a foreign object at first. It may even seem embarrassing to learn how to speak or eat naturally while wearing them. It's normal to feel a little shock and discomfort as you're getting used to this, but it won't last forever.
As a general rule of thumb, dental professionals are likely to tell you that adjusting to new dentures takes about 30 days, on average. You might not be keen to wait this long, but you need to be careful how quickly you try to get back to normal.
Feeling of bulkiness – dentures are not your natural teeth, so you should not expect them to feel like that. At first, they will feel bulky until your mouth gets used to wearing them. It is why your dentist will recommend wearing your dentures throughout during the first few days of having them.
In most cases, you won't be able to tell that someone is wearing dentures if you have well-fitting dentures that are professionally made, are regularly cleaned, and fit well.
Immediate dentures, unlike regular dentures, are made before tooth extraction. With immediate dentures, you never have to leave the dental office without teeth. That's because immediate dentures, as the name suggests, allow for extractions and dentures in the same day.
In some cases, dentists remove all your teeth in one session and provide immediate dentures soon after. However, they prefer removing teeth in stages as described, and it is best to rely on the dentist's advice because they recommend the best approach for your unique needs.
Hard foods: Chewing hard foods require your jaw and dentures to apply uneven pressure. This can dislodge or damage your dentures, so avoid nuts, popcorn, apples, raw carrot sticks and corn on the cob. Tough meats: Foods that require a lot of chewing place unnecessary stress on your dentures and gums.
There is no limit to the number of teeth you can have extracted at once. While having multiple teeth extracted during the same procedure is rare, it is sometimes the only option for patients with severe tooth decay.
Steak – Steak can be difficult to chew even for people with all their natural teeth. Biting down on chewy steak with dentures can destabilize them or cause sore spots. You don't have to avoid steak entirely – just cut it up into small pieces.
Regardless of the type of dentures you're using, wearing them in your sleep is a bad idea, and will cause you a number of health issues down the line. To keep your mouth bacteria-free, your gums healthy, and your bones unaltered and strong, make sure to remove your dentures every night before going to sleep.
Common conditions you may experience at first
Many people say their dentures feel bulky and too big for their mouths. Others report that the new dentures feel too loose. Saliva production increases and your gums and jaw muscles may feel sore and tired. With time, these issues typically resolve on their own.
As the removable dentures sit on the bone, it will begin to wear away. This will not only cause the dentures to become loose, but it will also cause different features of your face to shift, making you appear older than you really are.
Custom Dentures
These dentures are made of more expensive teeth, which gives you a more natural-looking smile. One can actually see the new denture before it's completed. This denture is customized for one's smile, so it's natural looking and suits one's needs.
Flexible dentures are thin, lightweight, and pliable, which means they're more comfortable than traditional dentures. There's no long adjustment period needed when you start wearing them. Flexible dentures do not absorb odors or stains.
Even the Batman doesn't have naturally perfect teeth! Ben Affleck supposedly has a full set of porcelain veneers to give his teeth that perfect, pearly-white appearance.
Periodontal disease can result in acceleration of bone loss and when you lose the teeth the remaining bone may be inadequate. This can make your experience with dentures not ideal. For anyone who may have experienced oral cancer with reconstructive surgery, anatomy and function may have changed.
Dental implants may provide a preferable comfort level and better chewing than dentures. However, a 2019 study found that people who had implant-supported overdentures — a hybrid of dentures and implants — reported more satisfaction with the comfort and chewing efficiency compared to having conventional dentures.
Hard foods. Hard foods require your jaw and your dentures to apply uneven pressure. This can damage or dislodge dentures. Stay away from nuts, popcorn, apples, carrot sticks, and corn on the cob, except as an occasional treat.
According to the 2020 national dental fee survey, a full upper and lower conventional denture (item 719) in Australia can cost up to $4,000. For either an upper or lower denture (not both) the cost can be up to $2,200.