What Are Immediate Dentures?
Immediate dentures are prosthetic teeth placed in your mouth right after your natural teeth have been extracted — before the gums and bone have fully healed. they act as a temporary set of teeth while your mouth adjusts to the changes that occur following extraction.
These dentures serve important purposes:
• Protect healing gum tissue
• Allow normal speech and chewing sooner
• Maintain facial structure during bone and gum healing
Because they are made in advance of extraction and inserted immediately after, they may look slightly different than your final dentures once healing is complete.
Immediate Dentures Process: Step-by-Step
Here’s how the immediate dentures process typically works:
1. Initial Dental Evaluation:
Your dentist assesses your mouth and may take impressions before extraction.
2. Tooth Removal (Extractions):
Natural teeth are extracted. In cases of full mouth extraction with immediate dentures, all remaining teeth may be removed in one visit.
3. Fitting the Immediate Denture:
The dentist places the dentures immediately after extraction. Some adjustments are made for comfort.
4. Healing Period:
Your gums and bone begin to heal. Because healing changes the shape of your mouth, adjustments to the denture may be necessary over time.