Getting Your Dentures

Conventional Dentures
Conventional dentures are made and inserted after your teeth have been taken out and the gums have healed.
A conventional denture typically is made and fitted within four or more appointments over one to two months. The process starts with an appointment with your dentist for an exam. You also will talk about what will work best for you. In later visits, your dentist will take impressions of your mouth and establish the bite (the way your teeth come together).

You and your dentist will select the teeth for your denture. The size of the teeth will be influenced by the size of your mouth and jaw, and how your upper and lower jaws come together when you bite down. If you liked the way your natural teeth looked, bring in a photograph of you smiling with your natural teeth. This will help your dentist and the dental laboratory that will make your dentures.

Your dentist will take impressions of your mouth and send them to the lab, along with a detailed prescription. A dental technician will make your dentures based on this information.

Once the denture is made, you'll have a trial fitting. Your dentist will set up your new denture and try it in your mouth. You'll be able to see how the denture looks and feels in your mouth. Your dentist can make sure that it fits, functions correctly and harmonizes with the rest of your face. This is your denture preview, or "try-in."

If the try-in goes well, you will receive the completed denture at the next visit. Your dentist will give you instructions on how to eat and speak with dentures. You'll also learn about how to take care of your dentures and your mouth and gums. Finally, you will need to see your dentist for a series of follow-up visits during the next few weeks and months. The dentist will check the fit and comfort of your denture.

Immediate Dentures
If you have teeth extracted, your mouth will need to heal for at least four weeks before a complete denture can be made. Your dentist may suggest that you use an interim or temporary denture called an immediate denture. This will be made and inserted at the time of extraction. The immediate denture will allow you to eat and speak without problems while the complete denture is made. As your mouth heals, the gums and bones will shrink. The immediate denture will need to be relined to adjust the fit.