Tips and Tricks for Adjusting to New Dentures

New dentures require an adjustment period. Talking, eating, and other essential daily activities, which used to come easily, may now become challenging. Patients who receive lower dentures will face a more extended adjustment period since they might feel less securely attached and limit the space available for the tongue.

While a certain adjustment period is inevitable, dental patients can employ some strategies to shorten it. For example, insert the dentures and read aloud. Reading aloud improves speaking ability while wearing the dental appliance. Next, insert the dentures and practice eating. Slice food into small bites, chew slowly on both sides, and avoid placing direct pressure on the front teeth of the dentures.

Some individuals might experience irritation along the gums, or the dentures might feel loose. However, the gums and muscle tissue will automatically adapt to prevent slippage. Patients benefit from wearing the dental device around the clock as the mouth adjusts to the dentures. After the adjustment process, patients should begin removing dentures to sleep.

Dentures Creation Process

Dentists use one of two primary methods to create dentures: traditional and digital. The traditional process involves using impressions of a patient’s teeth made in a soft material to reconstruct the mouth inside and determine the shape of the dentures. A technician carves wax and sets placeholder teeth while holding the impression in an articulator, a mechanical analog for the jaw, resulting in an approximation of the patient’s mouth shape. One or more fittings provide data for refining the dentures’ shape until the patient receives the final acrylic version.

The digital process has fewer steps and relies on manufacturing technologies. An intramouth scanner captures 3D images of the patient’s mouth, teeth placement, and gum structure. Specialized software allows viewing of these images from all angles. Computer-aided design (CAD) and 3D printing use additive manufacturing to create the rough draft of the dentures. The precision of these techniques enables a patient to undergo fewer fittings and receive their dentures faster.

The Dental Veneer Process for Patients

An experienced dentist with a doctor of dental medicine (DMD) from Tufts University, Roderick Garcia has operated his own practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico, since 1985. Roderick Garcia, DMD, considers veneer preparation, installation, and care among his areas of expertise.

Dental veneers are thin shells that attach to the front of teeth to cover cosmetic issues and generally improve tooth appearance. Accomplished through a series of relatively quick and easy procedures, the placing of a dental veneer typically requires three visits to the dental office. It is important to note, however, that any number of teeth can go through the dental veneer process at the same time.

After visiting the office for an initial veneer consultation, patients must generally return to prepare their teeth and begin the veneer creation process. Dentists grind down teeth as necessary for proper veneer placement and make tooth impressions to create a mold, which will serve as a template for veneer manufacturing.

Finally, patients must return to have their finished veneers installed in their mouths. After examining veneers and trimming them as needed to fit, dentists permanently affix veneers to teeth using a special dental cement that hardens rapidly under a high intensity visible curing light.

Bike Riding in Family-Friendly Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Albuquerque, New Mexico, resident Roderick Garcia, DMD, has been offering a range of dental work for over three decades. While his focus is on cosmetic dentistry, information on other services he offers, such as family dentistry, may be found on his website at www.roderickgarciadmd.com, or by calling his office at 505-821-6119. He treats many children in his practice, and strives to make them comfortable with the treatments he provides. Roderick Garcia, DMD, has young grandchildren of his own that he frequently spends time with, participating in activities such as bike riding.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northwest New Mexico is an ideal place for families wanting to get some exercise while sightseeing. Beginning at the park’s visitor’s center, there are 8 miles of flat roads waiting to be explored. Heading west, the Park Loop takes cyclists past archaeological sites Pueblo Bonito and Casa Rinconada, where they can park their bikes at nearby bike racks and walk through the historic ruins.

The loop returns to the visitor’s center, where bikers may continue on past the campground to the park’s south entrance. This will add several miles to the outing if the initial loop wasn’t long enough. There are also mountain biking opportunities for those who are looking for an off-road challenge.