Immediate Denture Instructions

• An immediate denture is often only a temporary measure to replace missing teeth. 

• For the first 24 hours your immediate denture is not to be removed from your mouth. If the denture is removed, swelling may occur that will make it difficult or impossible to reseat the denture in your mouth. 

• Shortly after extraction, your dentist may ask to see you for a review. At that time, you will be given a new set of  instructions for how to care for your denture and your mouth. 

• See Extraction Aftercare Instructions for additional information on how to care for your mouth after tooth extraction. 

• Your immediate denture not only replaces your missing teeth, but it is acting to protect the surgical site, controlling swelling and bleeding. The denture needs to be in place to be effective. 

• After the tooth extraction socket has healed over (two to six weeks) you may find a denture adhesive paste helps to stabilize your denture. 

• The fit of your immediate denture will change as your mouth heals. As healing occurs, your gums and dental ridges change shape — they generally shrink in size. Your immediate denture will need to be adjusted and/or relined to compensate for these changes. You will be instructed by your dentist to return for periodic appointments to monitor your mouth for changes that may require denture adjustments.

• Tooth extraction sockets typically take around 6 months to heal and fill in with new jaw bone. At that time, your dentist will speak to you about replacing your immediate denture with a definitive denture or another reline.