Immediate Complete Denture is a type of dentures that is given to patient to wear after the extractions are completed. It is given immediately to patient on the same day the extractions are completed. The fabrication process is virtually the same as the traditional complete denture. The immediate complete denture serves three main purposes:
1. The immediate complete denture serves as the “bandaide” for the wound where the teeth are extracted. As soon as the teeth are extracted, the swelling and inflammation process will begin with the first 48 hours. The immediate complete denture will hold the loose tissue in place and control the swelling process. Dentist would recommend patient to wear the immediate complete denture for the first 48 hours continuously following the teeth extractions. By wearing the denture immediately following the extraction, it helps to make sure that the tissue will conform to the contour and shape of the denture so that the denture will fit after the swelling subsides. In contrary, if the immediate complete denture is not worn continuously for the first 48 hours, the tissue might have altered its contour due to the inflammation and the denture might not fit.
2. Immediate complete denture addresses the issue of esthetics for patients who need to show their teeth and smile as part of their work or daily routines. Immediate complete denture will allow patients to show their teeth as soon as the extractions are completed.
3. Immediate complete denture addresses the issue of chewing food. Following the extractions, the patient will not be able to chew. The immediate complete denture helps restore some chewing capability of the patient. It is understandable that the patient will be sore after the extractions. Dentist generally recommends to chew on soft food initially. Patient will return to the dental office for followup and adjustment of the denture as needed.
Patient will have to go through a period of time to getting adjusted to the immediate complete denture. Throughout the healing of the tissue, patient will experience episode of swelling and then when the swelling is subsided, the immediate complete denture may become loose. This is part of the healing process because the bone tissue will start to heal and may shrink after the extraction site is healed. The healing process may take 4-5 months to get better. By 4-5 months, the tissue and the bone will start to stabilize. The dentist will then give more definite treatment to the patient. A hard reline can be applied to the immediate denture so that the spacing caused by the bone shrinkage can be filled in with the hard reline materials. The denture can become more adaptive to the tissue and the denture will become more retentive in the patient’s dental alveolar arches.
Written by Daniel Tee, DDS, MS
Denture Dental Office in Tempe AZ — Partial Dentures, Complete Dentures, Removable Dentures, Flippers
Serving the city of Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix, Gilbert, and Mesa in Arizona. Practicing General Dentist
