Having been in use for as long as we can remember, you probably already know what dentures are. If not, here’s a quick recap: Dentures are prosthetic teeth that replace missing natural teeth. You may need them if you’ve lost teeth due to an injury or disease.
There are various types of dentures, but two usually come to mind: partial and full dentures. Complete dentures are used when all (or most of) the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are useful when you only have a few missing teeth.
However, there’s another option: Immediate dentures.
Let’s delve deeper and find out more about immediate dentures.
What are immediate dentures?
Also referred to as provisional prostheses or temporary dentures, immediate dentures are dentures you get immediately after teeth removal. Following a tooth extraction procedure, your mouth (gums) are usually sore, and you may not be a candidate for permanent dentures, not until you’re fully healed. This process takes weeks or even months for some people.
To avoid the embarrassment or inconvenience associated with missing teeth, you can get immediate dentures.
These products aren’t customized like your permanent dentures. They are simply placeholders to help you get by as you wait for your permanent dentures to be ready. However, you must be physically present at your dentist’s, as you can’t get immediate dentures online.
They are easy on your gums and won’t irritate you, even if you wear them immediately after you’ve had your teeth extracted. You will also get your smile back as immediate dentures before and after images always show a more lively individual.
When are immediate dentures used?
You will not be able to get your permanent dentures installed immediately after extracting teeth. Your gums will still be sore, and placing dentures may cause further discomforts like swelling, soreness, or even the risk of infection.
Before your gums are completely healed and ready to receive your permanent dentures, you will need immediate dentures. These will be helpful to you for activities like eating, speech, and smiling.
Difference between immediate dentures and permanent dentures
Are you trying to pick the best option for you in the immediate dentures vs permanent dentures battle? You may not have to choose as these are entirely different products but with a similar goal.
For starters, it would be prudent to note that there aren’t many options when it comes to immediate dentures. On the other hand, you can choose between full and partial dentures when getting permanent dentures.
One of the main differences in the immediate vs permanent dentures battle lies in their names: temporary dentures are temporary while the others are permanent. You only wear immediate dentures for some time before putting on the permanent dentures, which last longer.
The other difference is that you cannot wear permanent dentures immediately after teeth extraction. However, the primary purpose of immediate dentures is to be worn right after you’ve had your teeth extracted. There isn’t any immediate dentures recovery time, meaning you can wear them at any point after the tooth extraction procedure.
Eating with dentures is also different in both cases. Immediate dentures limit you to what you can eat as certain foods, especially tough ones, can easily damage them. On the other hand, you will be free to eat almost all your favorite foods with permanent dentures.
The other difference lies in their looks. So, what do immediate dentures look like? They are pretty much similar with conventional dentures, just that they are a lot heavier and bulkier.
The Immediate denture process
Getting immediate dentures isn’t a complicated process, but it involves several dental clinic visits. On average, you may need between 2 and 4 trips to the dentist’s for initial tests to be done. This is crucial as it determines your candidacy for the products and also includes any preliminary procedures you may need.
Depending on how many natural teeth are extracted, you can get partial dentures or full immediate dentures. Should you need complete dentures, your back teeth may be extracted six to eight weeks before this phase. This gives you ample time to heal and get a better-fitting immediate denture set.
Here’s the process involved when getting immediate dentures:
- The dentist takes impressions of your bite and tooth selection.
- These impressions are used to make immediate dentures.
- Once they are ready, you’ll undergo oral surgery, where you’ll get your teeth extracted.
- Following surgery, your dentist will insert the immediate dentures.
- These dentures may not fit snuggly on your teeth, but that shouldn’t so much concern you. However, you will have follow-up visits to the dentist to ensure that you’re healing well and that the immediate dentures aren’t causing any discomfort.
- Once you’re entirely healed (a process that takes up to 6 months), you’ll switch to your new conventional dentures.
Pros and cons of immediate dentures
Are immediate dentures for you? Here are some of their benefits and drawbacks to help you determine:
Advantages of immediate dentures
- They fill the gaps in your mouth after tooth extraction.
- They save you the embarrassment of appearing in public without teeth.
- Immediate dentures assist in protecting your gums during the healing process.
- It is easier to duplicate the appearance (shape, color, and arrangement) of your natural teeth while you still have some in your mouth.
- They are excellent placeholders until you get your permanent dentures.
Disadvantages of immediate dentures
- Immediate dentures are not a permanent solution, and you will still have to transition to your new set of dentures after you heal.
- You can’t try them on before tooth extraction. This leaves room for loose fittings.
- The use of immediate dentures adds to the total cost.
- You may have to undergo various dental visits to have your immediate dentures adjusted or relined for your comfort.
- They don’t feel like natural teeth, as the permanent dentures would. They are also not as sharp and tough, making chewing a little harder for some people.
How to care for immediate dentures
Once you receive your immediate dentures, it is upon you to ensure that you take good care of them. You also have to be more concerned with your oral hygiene to avoid unforeseen infections.
Some of the ways that you can care for your immediate dentures are:
- Clean your immediate dentures regularly as directed by your dentist.
- Do not take them off but only when instructed so by your dentist.
- Always maintain good oral hygiene to avoid oral infections.
- Avoid tough foods or snacks to avoid damaging your dentures and your gums.
- Take them for a reline should they be too loose.
Nevertheless, as a rule of thumb, it would be prudent to follow all your dentist’s instructions on how to take care of your dentures.
Cost of immediate dentures
The total immediate dentures cost ranges from $1,900 to $4,000. The precise amount you will part with depends on various factors like the nature of the procedures involved, how many teeth are to be extracted, the dentist, and much more.
Nevertheless, you’ll find that the average cost of dentures is much less than that of immediate dentures.
Does insurance cover immediate dentures?
Some insurance companies cover immediate dentures as part of your dental plan. Ensure to contact your insurance provider and inquire if your current plan caters to immediate dentures, or perhaps you may have to switch to a different one.
Alternatively, you can inquire from your dentist, as they may be able to assist you in scouting for insurance providers that can cover immediate dentures.
Alternatives to immediate dentures
Don’t fancy the idea of immediate dentures? Don’t fret, as there are alternatives that you can consider. They include:
- Dental bridge: a dental bridge is a false tooth that’s held in place by a dental crown bonded to your nearby teeth.
- Implant-supported dentures: you can also opt for implant-supported dentures if your jawbone and gums are in pristine conditions. Snap-in dentures may be an excellent option to consider.
- Dental implants: the only difference between dental implants and implant-supported dentures is the crowns used. Crowns for dental implants are made to resemble your natural teeth, while the former uses crowns from the materials used to make dentures. Get more information in our implants vs dentures guide.
FAQ
Immediate dentures are designed to be temporary and will last between 6 and 8 months until they are replaced by permanent dentures.
You should keep your immediate dentures in place for at least 48 hours when first put in place. You can remove them only with your dentist’s greenlight. However, remember not to keep them out for long as they may become loose as your jawline or gums will have changed position.
You will only experience some soreness and irritation following when you wear your immediate dentures. This is largely contributed by the tooth extraction that you just had. This feeling tends to fade off within a few days.
As they aren’t custom-made to fit your mouth, immediate dentures are usually periodically adjusted to fit and for your comfort.
Your dentist will give you a list of foods to avoid with immediate dentures. In most cases, hard and tough foods are prohibited to immediate denture wearers. This is because they can easily damage or break them.
