After teeth are extracted your gums and jawbone will experience trauma and you will need time to heal. The period needed to recover from tooth extraction can take between a few weeks to a couple of months, depending on the extent of trauma caused by tooth loss.
During this time, you will have to wait for your gums to heal before you can get either full or partial dentures. However, many people feel uncomfortable staying that long without teeth. It can affect your lifestyle and self-esteem. So what options do you have?
Immediate Dentures
Immediate dentures are a solution for people who cannot go for weeks without teeth or dentures. This may be due to social or professional reasons. These devices are fitted within hours after your teeth are extracted. The process typically begins weeks before the teeth in question are extracted. A mold is made to create an impression of your existing teeth.
The mold is taken to the lab and the immediate dentures are made from it. When you eventually go for the extraction procedure, the immediate dentures will be ready to fill the gap left by the teeth that have just been extracted.
Pros and Cons of Immediate Dentures
Immediate dentures have one important advantage; they facilitate the healing process so that the gums will eventually fit into the dentures. This provides extra comfort and reduces the risk of complications caused by ill-fitting dental devices.
Placing the device immediately after extraction prevents the cheek and tongue from adopting to missing teeth, which you would otherwise have to adjust to when you get full or partial dentures.
One of the disadvantages of this option is that is it significantly more expensive than conventional dentures. It may also not be suitable for some people, especially people with certain health conditions. If you have any questions regarding immediate dentures, call our friendly helpdesk today for more information.
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