There are three times when you might be required to visit a denture clinic. If you need dentures made for your missing teeth, are experiencing discomfort, your dentist requires you to visit the denture clinic regularly for monitoring or if you have damaged your dentures. Here's what you need to know about these instances:
New Dentures for Missing Teeth
When you visit a denture clinic for the first time, expect your dentist to ask various questions about your health. The dentist may then examine your mouth to get an idea of how the dentures will look, and then they will take a mouth or dental mould. The mould is used to give the exact measurements of the denture to be prepared. The denture can be prepared on the same day, or you might be asked to wait for a few days to a week. This depends on whether there is a long queue in the dental laboratory.
When picking your dentures, expect your dentist to offer you guidelines on denture care, which mostly include the dos and don'ts. Examples of these guidelines include keeping your dentures clean by brushing them while outside your mouth and storing them in a glass of clean water at night as you sleep. You might also be warned about dropping them on hard surfaces or biting down on hard objects or foods.
Denture Discomfort and Regular Monitoring
It is not uncommon for dentures to feel uncomfortable during the first few weeks or even after some time. If you notice this, visit your dentist to have them inspect the dentures and your gums. You might need some medication or the dentures might require relining. Denture relining is a procedure carried out to reshape the surface that sits on your gum.
You may also be required to visit your dentist regularly for denture monitoring. These visits are not frequent; you might even find you have to visit a denture clinic twice, thrice or four times a year.
Denture Damage
If you damage your dentures by dropping them or biting on hard food, it is important to notify your dentist immediately. Expect a few questions followed by guidelines. The dentist will warn you about DIY repair and ask that you take them to the denture clinic for inspection and repair. Depending on how severe the damage is, the dentures might be repairable, or you might need a new set.
Contact a local denture clinic to learn more.