The process of having full dentures made, while sometimes lengthy, is fairly straightforward. The first step will be to go in to visit your dentist, prosthodontist, or denturist. They will perform a precursory exam. During the course of this visit, the practitioner will take pictures, X-rays, and molds of your jaw and remaining teeth.
Note: If you have any teeth remaining in your mouth, you will have to have them removed and then go back in to have more molds taken of your gums. This will allow the doctor to see how to structure the dentures so that they fit closely with your gums.
Once the molds have been taken, the dentist will create the denture for you, inserting false teeth into a pink, gum-like base. This may take some time, which will allow your gums to heal if you had to have some teeth removed. Many prosthodontists will offer you a set of temporary dentures to wear until your real dentures are completed. These will be less sturdy but will also allow your gums to adapt to the feeling and pressure of dentures.
After getting your first dentures, you can go back to life as usual. The only difference will be that you have to learn basic denture maintenance to keep them clean. The general format of cleaning and rinsing is similar to how you would care for your real teeth—brush twice a day and after meals, if possible. Rinse after eating. Flossing is less of an issue, but it doesn’t hurt to do it occasionally, especially if food is stuck between the false teeth.
One of the most crucial steps of denture maintenance is to use denture cleaner when the dentures are not in your mouth. This will prevent bacterial growth. Also, on a similar note, don’t forget to brush your gums and rinse your mouth with mouthwash. Just because you no longer have teeth, this doesn’t mean that you can neglect your oral health.