Tips on getting used to dentures?

I just got dentures and I'm having problems keeping the upper denture in. I keep choking on it and then they will fall out and hit the bottom one out. What can I do to calm the reflex to choke on the denture?

Tips on getting used to dentures?
It's really just one of those things that takes time, unfortunately. One comforting fact is that the longer and more consistently you wear it, the easier it will get. Eventually, you'll feel odd and naked without them!





Firstly, check with your dentist or prosthodontist that the dentures do fit correctly and have good retention. Some dentures (some mouths) are easier to seal than others. In general, the more bone support you have and the less your dental arches are resorbed, the better the dentures will fit. Some people have very active mouth muscles which tend to dislodge dentures or certain anatomy (like a large bony protuberance called a torus) that make fitting difficult. So just double check to make sure it is seating correctly.





If the dentist says it's all a go, it's just something you will get used to. You gag reflex will decrease and you'll get used to it. If you are supposed to keep them in at night, make sure you do!! Same with eating, or whatever your dentist instructs. Try to keep it in, even if it feels better to take them out. Eventually you'll get used to it, and the more you practice with them, the easier it will get. It is a whole new chunk of foreign material in your mouth, so it will take adjustment, but you'll get there!





Good luck!
Reply:They may need to trim a little off the upper palate. It sounds like it is a lttle thick or too long. You shouldn't be choking, just hurting like h*ll from sore swollen gums!!! Ha!
Reply:Hello, You didn't say if this is your first set or second. Read my information below and send me a question if you have any after reading.





“Immediate Dentures”





What Are Immediate Dentures?


1....They are dentures that are “immediately” placed into the mouth when the last natural


tooth is extracted.





Are “Immediate Dentures” A Good Idea?


1....They are a very good idea. They provide stability in jaw relationships during the


healing process.


2....They cover the extraction sites and provide,if you will, a plastic bandage affect.


3....The likelihood of getting a dry socket is all but removed.


4....The healing period is usually quicker and with less trauma.





What Is The Average Healing Period?


1....The average healing period following extraction’s is between 4 and 6 months.


2....Health problems such as Diabetes can slow the process however.





Is There A follow Up Procedure”?


1....At approximately 2 to 3 weeks following the extraction’s I always recommend that the


“Temporary Soft Liner Procedure” be instigated.





What Is The Temporary Soft Liner Procedure?


1....A layer of temporary soft liner is placed inside of the immediate denture. The soft liner


material flows over the inside surface of the denture filling in any place that the gums have


shrunk away do the the healing process.


2....The liner performs three basic functions. It refits the denture. It provides a degree of


comfort. It helps maintain the jaw relationship that was established when the dentures


were created.





How Often Should The Liner Be Placed?


1...The first layer of liner should be placed by the second or third week.


2....Follow up liners should be placed every three to four weeks following the first


placement.


3....Once the basic healing has taken place, 4 to 6 months, the immediate dentures should


be Dental Laboratory Relined.





What Happens If “NO” Follow Up Procedure Is Taken?


1....As the gums heal they shrink. The shrinking allows the dentures to change position .


2....The edges are usually the first areas that begin to dig in and cause sore spots.


3....If the edges are continually cut off to rid sore spots, by the time the gums heal the jaws


will have over closed. The chin and nose will be closer together. The corners of the mouth


will turn down. Facial tissues will no longer be properly supported.....”IF” the dentures are


relined in this position the loss of features will get worse.





This information is provided by the Denture Pro. %26lt;thedenturepro@aol.com%26gt;THE FIVE PHASES


by: The Denture Pro.


Copyrighted Material


thedenturepro@aol.com








“The Five Phases” are the phases that every Denture Wearer is guaranteed to experience


when they get “new” or “replacement” denture appliances.





However, when you get replacements, you should take less time to go through The Five


Phases than a “new” denture wearer will.





Phase (1)


“The Inspection Phase”





When a new or replacement denture appliance is placed in the mouth, it touches the oral


tissues and structures differently than those tissues or structures are accustomed to.





The inspection response will be that the Tongue, Cheeks and Lips will examine the object


that has been placed into the mouth.





Phase (2)


“The Saliva Phase”





Because the new or replacement denture appliance touches the oral tissues differently than


what the tissue recognizes, it reacts as though the appliance is something to eat and sends a


signal to the brain to get the saliva flowing to aid in digestion.





The saliva will diminish as the oral structures accept the appliance as a permanent part of


the oral make up. With a “new” appliance the acceptance may take a bit longer, two to


three weeks.





Phase (3)


“The Adaptation Phase”





How many times have you or someone you know removed their eye glasses and you notice


the imprint on both sides of the nose, the imprints left by the nose pads? Thats adaptation.





Gum tissues slowly adapt to the inside surfaces of the denture appliance. Any place that the


tissue is thin over the gum bone, you are likely to have a tender spot. That spot will need to


be relieved by adjusting the appliance.





Phase (4)


“The Rejection Phase”





This phase is most noticeable to new denture appliance wearers or denture replacements


that are very different in shape and size from those worn before.





The oral structures that have read the denture appliance as something to eat and not


accepted it as a permanent addition to the mouth, often sends the patient a signal that


say’s, “Look, if your not going to eat this, get rid of it, were tired of having it around”.


However, that too will pass in time, usually within two to three weeks. “But”, the


appliances must be worn at least ten to eleven hours a day during that period of time.





Phase (5)


“The Learning Phase”





You didn’t learn to ride a bicycle perfectly the first time you tried, nor did you drive like a


pro the first time you got behind the wheel. You had to learn how to operate those vehicles.





Just as with the bike and the car, you must learn how to operate and use a denture


appliance. They just don’t automatically work just because they are placed between your


nose and chin. The learning process depends on your dedication and determination to


master them.





Do not make the classic mistake of comparing your denture appliance fit and function to


someone else’s. Mouths and people are like fingerprints, no two are alike. To play the


comparison game can make your personal experience a failure more often than a success.





Please Be Advised


“THE FIVE PHASES” is a copyright product of the “Denture Pro.” Copying or


distribution is prohibited unless written permission is granted by the author!
Reply:This sounds like a first denture question to me. A lot of shrinkage happens for the first year after dentures and there is a need to relines. They do both soft and hard relines. A reline is done to fill in the area between your denture and your mouth. A soft reline is temporary and a hard reline is permanent. After your first year, you can either get a new set or get your originals rebased. With a rebase, they use the current teeth and replace all the "pink parts". If the cost of a dentist's soft reline is too high, you can buy over-the-counter soft reline kits at the drugstore. My brand of choice is Denturite by Seabond. It only costs a few dollars and you can get it done in a few minutes at home.





In the meantime, until you can either get to a dentist or drugstore, try peppermint candies. They help to relieve the gagging feeling (I think that it is more of a mental "sidetrack" than relieve...but hey, it works!)