How to Adjust to Your Partial Dentures With Ease

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, especially if several or all are gone, dentures provide a dental restoration solution for millions of people. Dentures have a history spanning as far back as 4,00 years, using materials like animal bone, gold plating, ivory, and even other human teeth.

Today, your dentures are realistic enough to fool people into thinking they’re the real thing. They are made with acrylic and other modern materials and can replace all or some of your teeth. 

Partial dentures help restore chewing and other basic dental functions when some of your teeth are missing. However, when you first get them fitted, problems with adjusting to them can be frustrating.

Fortunately, fitting and adjusting partial or complete dentures has never been easier in Richmond Hill, Georgia, with the help of Dr. Nils Anderson and our team at Village Dental.

How partials work

This restoration solution works when you still have some healthy teeth on the upper or lower palate. The type of partial you receive will depend on the location of missing teeth, how many are gone, and whether you’ve just had teeth removed and need temporary dentures until we make permanent ones. 

Manufacturing the base of dentures uses metals, plastic resin, or polymer-based materials, with clasps or precision attachments to connect them.

Problems with fitting

When getting partials for the first time or dealing with adjustments to an existing one, they often feel uncomfortable after the initial fitting. The common complaint is that they don’t feel natural. Other fitting issues include gum pain, swelling, difficulty adjusting speech, and relearning chewing habits.

Steps to adjust them properly 

There are multiple solutions to help ease into using partial dentures:

Using them for more extended periods

While getting used to partials, taking them out from time to time sounds like the logical solution. However, wearing them for longer can help you get more accustomed to having them in.

Practicing speech

Talking aloud in private helps you get used to speaking to others while wearing your partial. It also helps overcome any speech impediments that develop while you are adjusting.

Denture slipping

Slipping is the term for discreetly fixing slipping problems while smiling, coughing, or sneezing. You can fix a slip by biting down and swallowing to reposition the partial.

Eating adjustments

As you become used to using your partials, be cautious about what you eat to prevent damage or causing more irritation. Soft foods, such as ice cream, purees, mashed potatoes, soups, and smoothies will make your transition less uncomfortable. Over time, you will ease into more solid foods.

When you finally adjust, partials will make a significant difference in your smile, speech, and eating. Contact Dr. Anderson and Village Dental today for questions and concerns about partial dentures and other dental treatments.