3 Simple Tips for Transitioning to Implant Dentures

After years of wearing dentures, you’re practically an expert. You know which foods you can and cannot chew. You know how to take care of your dentures, and you are used to the occasional slippage. So when you make the decision to replace your dentures with ones that are secured by implants, you aren’t 100 percent sure what to expect. Will it take you a while to adjust to implant dentures?

Here are some tips for making the transition to implant dentures as smooth as possible!

Take It Slow

Just as when you got dentures in the first place, you may need some time to get used to how your implant dentures work. You shouldn’t start out by chewing hard, crunchy, or tough foods. Begin with softer foods and gradually build back up to your normal diet.

The good news is that it shouldn’t take long for it to feel comfortable. In fact, you are likely to find that you can go beyond the diet you had with traditional dentures alone! You can eat fibrous vegetables and fruit that were difficult to chew before. But, again, you should work steadily toward these foods over time.

Be Safe and Smart

As you might have experienced when you got your traditional dentures, the gum-colored base can give you a false sense of security when it comes to hot foods or drinks. If you’re not careful, you could burn your tongue or other soft tissues in your mouth because you won’t be able to detect temperature through your replacement teeth.

You also need to know how to bite and chew in a way that you don’t risk accidentally biting down hard on your cheeks or tongue. It may take some practice, but you can quickly adapt to having a strong bite again without harming yourself.

Don’t Worry Too Much

If you haven’t had natural teeth in a while, you may be a little nervous about making the adjustment back to secure, stable teeth that don’t slip. However, you’re sure to find that using your new teeth feels familiar—a lot like riding a bike.

In fact, implants make dentures feel as close to real teeth as possible, which means you can enjoy function you may not have had since tooth loss! In other words, it’s much easier and faster to adjust to having implants than it was to adjust to traditional dentures in the first place.

In the end, your implant dentures should feel much more natural and comfortable than your old dentures. When you follow these little tips, you can look forward to getting a new lease on your smile!

About the Practice

At Applegate Dental, our patients are in control of their oral healthcare. We take the time to educate our patients so they can make the best decision for their smiles. Our dentists have the experience, training, and expertise to handle implant placement in-house and offer flexible financing. If you would like to learn more about implant dentures, you may schedule a consultation with our experts at Applegate Dental online or calling our West Seneca office at 716-668-4646.