Frequently Asked Questions

A Dental Prosthetist is a qualified, skilled member of the Dental Profession. They are trained to construct, fit and maintain dentures and carry out other denture care services.

Dentures need regular care and maintenance. As well as having dentures checked regularly it is important to have your gums and tissues checked to maintain satisfactory health of your mouth.

Yes, it is very imporatant to replace missing teeth for several reasons:

Without complete dentition you may not be able to chew properly. To chew properly means to mix enough saliva with your food so it dilutes your gastric juices which reduces the risk of digestive problems.

Our digestive system begins with our mouth. Unless we have all of our teeth, or a denture substitute, it is extremely difficult to mix saliva with our food, which can affect food when it is in our stomachs.

Wearing dentures is a process that has to be learned. It is not an instinct we are born with. Because dentures are an artificial appliance they take time to adapt to.

Understanding that a denture, no matter how well designed and constructed, is a substitue for no teeth, not a substitute for your natural teeth. Your tolerance, adaption and patience will assist you in the learning process. Perserverance is the key to succeeding. It is important to keep your new denture in your mouth for as long as you can in the first few days other than to clean them or if it is causing pain or soreness. The first 48 hours are the biggest challenge and this often determines your success with your new denture.

New dentures often affect your speech but it is also one of the easiest issues to resolve. There are things that you can do to help your tongue to find the right position to allow correct enunciation of your speech.

Reading out loud or singing are beneficial things to do to assist the learning process. But if you find a speech impediment, then just slowing down as you are talking or singing will help you adust.

No matter how well made your denture is there is no denture that will ever have the retention and stability of your natural teeth. Because of this it could be necessary to use an adhesive to provide that little bit of extra retention.

Denture adhesive will never make a poor fitting denture good but it can make a good fitting denture better. Adhesives can assist people to perservere with new dentures and can also play an important role in assisting to adapt to dentures inserted immediately after extraction of natural teeth.

The answer to this question is very personal. Most people only remove their dentures to clean them. It is good to leave your dentures out at night to allow your gums to rest from the appliance.

Yes, even though the appliance is not your natural teeth you still need to keep it clean. We suggest using dishwashing liquid and a toothbrush to remove debris from the denture.

It is important to clean your natural teeth and gums with toothpaste and a toothbrush. This also massages the gums and promotes blood flow which helps to keep the gums healthy.

You don't have to put dentures in water however the water does dilute the odour of the denture which can attract your animals like cats and dogs. It can also help to find the denture if the glass is knocked over by following the flow of the water.

With the proper care and maintenance dentures can be expected to last for between 8 to 10 years. Natural teeth require regular check ups and also your dentures, your gums and your mouth should be checked for fit and wear every year. During these regular checks we can provide an assessment of the condition of your dentures and arrange for maintenance procedures like relines to be carried out as they become necessary.