Immediate partial denture concerns

[JoseQ]

I finally plucked up the courage to sort out my smile and this morning had my top 4 front teet removed and was fitted with an immediate partial denture. It feels strange of course but I am concerned as there seems to be a gap at the front of the partial of 1 - 1.5 mm between the partial and my gum.. is this normal??? I was given very little info after having it fitted and was more than happy to pay the bill and get out of there! What do I do about the gap, is it normal?? The partial fits and feels ok at the back of my teeth but I catch my top lip on the top of the partial and I'm anxious it will fall out! I also feel that it has changed the way my back teeth line up as it was really strange when I tried to chew on my back teeth and it's made my jaw ache!!! Any advise ?

 

[NueroNurse]

I just had a full upper plate done last week, but I wore a partial on top for about 10 years prior.

It takes a bit of trial to get them to fit right. I would give it a few days though, because right after extractions you're going to have swelling that keeps them from fitting just right. As your gums settle down, you can start to judge what isn't working so well. After several weeks, even up to a few months, your gums will totally change shape from what they are right now into a smooth ridge. It's definitely something you have to look at as a journey and it may take several visits until they get them adjusted just right. The cool thing with partials though is that with them anchoring to your teeth, once things are settled, you can generally chew just as well as having natural teeth.

The most important part is to not just settle for a poor fit..keep going back to them until it's right. I wouldn't be worried though on your first day with them though, sounds pretty normal from my experience.

I finally plucked up the courage to sort out my smile and this morning had my top 4 front teet removed and was fitted with an immediate partial denture. It feels strange of course but I am concerned as there seems to be a gap at the front of the partial of 1 - 1.5 mm between the partial and my gum.. is this normal??? I was given very little info after having it fitted and was more than happy to pay the bill and get out of there! What do I do about the gap, is it normal?? The partial fits and feels ok at the back of my teeth but I catch my top lip on the top of the partial and I'm anxious it will fall out! I also feel that it has changed the way my back teeth line up as it was really strange when I tried to chew on my back teeth and it's made my jaw ache!!! Any advise ?

 

[comfortdentist]

I finally plucked up the courage to sort out my smile and this morning had my top 4 front teet removed and was fitted with an immediate partial denture. It feels strange of course but I am concerned as there seems to be a gap at the front of the partial of 1 - 1.5 mm between the partial and my gum.. is this normal??? I was given very little info after having it fitted and was more than happy to pay the bill and get out of there! What do I do about the gap, is it normal?? The partial fits and feels ok at the back of my teeth but I catch my top lip on the top of the partial and I'm anxious it will fall out! I also feel that it has changed the way my back teeth line up as it was really strange when I tried to chew on my back teeth and it's made my jaw ache!!! Any advise ?

In GENERAL-no gap
no change in bite

 

[Suzannah99]

I had exactly the same done as you and experienced exactly the same thing as you are now.

At around 2 weeks I began using powder adhesive as by around a week and a half after extractions the front of my plate was wobbling around.
My dentist had told me that a reline would be 2 years away.
(A reline is where they take another impression and then alter your plate to fit better).
I haven't even been able to go back for a check up or anything since I had my immediate denture fitted back at the end of November last year.

By about 2 months of using powder adhesive I had to move on to Fixodent which is now becoming ridiculous to use.
I did have a check up booked for April and when I booked it I told them I really needed a reline - they told me I would be able to 'talk' about a reline.

A few weeks before that check up they called me as my dentist had to cancel as he is going to a conference.
I rebooked for May instead. I also said I still wanted to discuss a reline - my partial just does not stay in at all any longer without a lot of adhesive - they took me seriously this time and when I have my check up I am having a reline as well.

The first 6 months to 2 years is when you will experience the majority of gum shrinkage.
By the time I get my reline I will be just under 6 months in to having my immediate denture.
It hasn't been the easiest time and some days have been a struggle if I haven't added enough adhesive, at the stage I am at now I am finding eating and speaking becoming more difficult - BUT - the gum shrink I had at say 3 months to what it is now I am glad that I have waited and dealt with things as best I could.

My partial fitted so totally perfectly right at the start, then I had a couple of days of feeling swollen and after that was when I started catching my lip just like you are. The adhesive I used back then helped secure the front to the extent where my lip didn't catch anywhere near as much.

Part of it I think is having to get yourself through the plate feeling losse times and doing the best you can with products you can buy to help.
Especially if your dentist won't help - but to be honest - and as I said I am glad I waited - but I just wish the date for the reline would hurry up now!

But yeah, for now get in a bottle of some powder adhesive I used Polygrip Wertners and in the early stages just like you are it hugely helped. Had I already had some in at a week and a half post extractions I would have used it but I had to wait a couple of days to get to a shop - by then I really needed it!