Affordable, simple, easy to repair, and easy to clean, implant dentures are a great choice for Canadians who are in need. Please follow these expert tips on how to take care of implant dentures and to ensure they last.
Ensure An Ideal Fit
Though dentures of any kind can take time to get used to, you always want the best fit possible. Implant dentures shouldn’t be loose or causing you pain in any way. If they are, speak with a denturist at Apple Dentures & Implant Solutions immediately. We can take a look and make adjustments if/as needed.
See Them As A Part of You
Implant dentures look and feel like your own teeth. Fused into your jaw and functioning just like natural teeth, there’s no reason not to think of them as a part of you. Treat them like you would your regular teeth. If you’re new to dentures, let go of the worries around eating, talking, and kissing. You will be able to do it all without any slurring or slippage.
Two Visits A Year
A lot of patients perceive a need for treatment to be fulfilled once they have their dentures installed. In fact, the average denture wearer will next see their denturist 14 years after their fitting. This has got to change. Two visits a year. That’s what we recommend. This ensures everything’s functioning as intended and that there aren’t any issues with fit or oral health.
When Needed, Reline the Denture
Roughly 25 percent of patients will require a relining approximately 1 year after having implant dentures installed. A patient may not know when a reline is needed as the implant attachments stabilize the denture. This can easily be checked in a checkup with your denturist at Apple Dentures & Implant Solutions.
Clean Implant Dentures Regularly
A lot of patients do not clean their implant-supported dentures often enough or fail to clean abutments and dentures adequately. The result is peri-implant mucositis, a gingivitis-esque condition that sets in which will eventually lead to peri-implantitis. If this occurs, your implants will not last. Absolutely ensure your implant dentures are being cleaned thoroughly and regularly.
If Abutments Loosen, Tighten Them
When one bites down, this applies force hopefully on the right areas of the denture and mouth. Unfortunately, if dentures aren’t fitted properly, force is applied to regions it shouldn’t be. The result’s often bone loss and abutment loosening. Ensure your abutments are tightened with checkups and regular care from your denturist.
Do Not Sleep With Dentures In
A piece of advice that sometimes goes overlooked by patients is to not leave their implant dentures in overnight. Sleeping with dentures in your mouth is a gateway to complications with fitting or infections. Do your best to remember to take them out every night before going to bed.
Avoid Tough-to-Eat Foods
Although you can enjoy almost anything food-wise with implant-supported dentures, avoiding extremely hard or particularly sticky foods is a smart move. This way, you protect your dentures. Damage can occur from excessive pressure put on them. When we encounter hard or sticky foods, this can create all sorts of issues with cracks and irritation around the gums.
Clean Every Part
Your denture plate is attached to jawbone implants. When cleaning, ensure you remove all detachable appliances and clean not only the appliance but what’s left in the mouth. Clean around attachments and the gum areas. Just like you can get a cavity, bacteria can build up where your dentures sit. These areas have to be cleaned properly. Doing so will keep gums and mouth tissue healthy.
Replace Before They Fail
This may seem counterintuitive but it is key to replace implant dentures that are on their way to failure before they inevitably do. If they can’t be repaired, all that’s left for failing dentures to accomplish is wear away bone. Any surrounding bone, you want to keep as much of it as one can. Protect that bone by removing an implant early, as long as you are sure it is on a pathway towards failure.
Are implant dentures right for you? Contact Apple Dentures & Implant Solutions today. We can connect you with an experienced denturist who will be able to assess and recommend appropriate denture solutions for you. The beauty of implant dentures is that they last, they’re comfortable, and they’re easy to clean. If you have compromised teeth, take care of it by speaking with a denturist and ask about implant dentures.