Denture and Implant Care Information in Kelowna

Your ability to cope with the fabrication of a new set of dentures depends on a variety of factors, including:

• Your overall health

• Present trauma to your facial area

• Any current physiotherapy or chiropractic treatment you may be undergoing

• Recent extractions of natural teeth

• Denture history

• Your spine and nervous system health

• Your age, occupation and diet

• Your willingness to make lifestyle changes following denture fabrication

• Presence and level of generative joint disease of TMJ

• Your level of gum resorption and muscle control

• Whether or not you are prone to teeth grinding or clenching

Patients should be aware that full or partial dentures will not perform at the same level as natural teeth. However, when professionally measured and fabricated by the skilled denturists at Burnett Denture Clinic, dentures can be the perfect replacement.

Immediate dentures are dentures that are fabricated directly after a patient has teeth removed. They are meant to be transitional and are often replaced after 12 months. During the patient’s healing period, post-operative instructions must be followed carefully, and regular check-ups and maintenance are essential. It may be necessary for temporary linings to be placed to ensure a better fit. This procedure may be repeated several times based on your physiological ability to heal. Following an immediate denture procedure, you can expect:

• The possibility that a permanent reline or a new denture may need to be constructed to ensure a better fit.

• Burnett Dental Clinic will advise you of the procedure that best meets your specific needs.

• Temporary liners prior to relines may be necessary.

Dentures may need to be permanently relined after 6-12 months. The placement of implants to retain dentures (particularly lowers) and implant supported overdentures is essential to ensure your dentures remain stable.

Loose dentures can often be remedied with a denture reline or if the denture is too compromised, with the addition of dental implants positioned by a dental surgeon or dentist. At Burnett Denture Clinic, we construct removable overdentures, which are placed on top of implants in the jawbone. The benefits of removable overdentures are:

• Overall stability

• Stability during eating

• Increased chewing force

• Easy cleaning and maintenance due to removability

• Reduced tissue irritations

• Decreased bone loss

In order to be able to have implants, the patient must have enough bone structure to support the implants being placed in the jawbone.

Don’t panic! At Burnett Denture Clinic, we have the tools, knowledge and expertise to repair your damaged or broken dentures quickly and effectively. The cost and timeliness of a denture repair is dependent on the nature of the damage. If you have broken or damaged your dentures, just give us a call to schedule an appointment and we will determine the best course of action. Denture repairs can generally be performed quickly – within a few hours, depending on the severity.

The most common cause of breakages is wearing dentures past their prime. We recommend that you have your dentures checked for relines in two years, relined in four years and replaced in eight years, depending on your tendency to grind and clench your teeth.

Don’t throw them away, bring them to us! We recycle old dentures and give them to a local artist who creates beautiful pieces for sale at local markets in Kelowna!