Dentures remain a popular solution to rebuild your grin after tooth loss because they restore your ability to eat and speak more easily. Many patients are taken by surprise to learn that it can take a while to be fitted with them, though. If you’re frustrated by the wait time, understanding the process can help ease your exasperation. Keep reading to learn more about how long it takes to get dentures from start to finish!
Step #1: Consultation and Examination
Before you can get dentures, your dentist needs to examine your mouth to ensure that there are no issues, like gum disease, that could negatively impact them. Then they’ll make recommendations based on their findings. If you’ve only lost some of your teeth, partial dentures may be the best option. For those who have lost most or all of their pearly whites, you’ll require a full set. If you still have a few remaining, they may need to be extracted to make room for your restoration.
Step #2: Extraction and Healing
Those who need to have teeth pulled can anticipate including the removal and recovery in their overall timeline. The extraction itself doesn’t usually take too long, but your gums will need to heal before accurate impressions can be made. This can take 6-8 weeks or longer, depending on how quickly your mouth mends itself. You can expect to visit your dentist semi-regularly during this time to ensure everything’s moving forward as intended.
Step #3: Making Impressions
Once you’ve recovered, your dentist will schedule a time to make impressions that will be used to create your customized restoration. This involves biting into a mold that captures a reverse replica of your teeth. This is used to create a plaster model that’s sent to a lab to start work on your dentures. Then, you may have to wait 2-3 weeks before the lab returns them to your provider.
Step #4: Fitting and Finalizing
Once your dentures arrive, you’ll have another appointment to try them on. Your dentist will make note of any changes or adjustments that need to be made and send them back to the lab to be processed. From there, it can be another 1 to 3 weeks before the final product is returned to your practitioner. In the past, you might need several adjustment visits before receiving the final product but thanks to advancements in technology and techniques, usually you can take your dentures home at this point.
The entire process of getting dentures can last anywhere from several weeks to a few months, depending on your circumstances. Your patience will pay off in the end because you will finally have a beautifully restored smile!
About the Author
Dr. Shahram Modarres has more than two decades of experience providing people with a wide array of top-quality services, including dentures. He earned his dental doctorate at the New York University School of Dentistry and has since stayed on top of recent developments in techniques and technology with ongoing educational courses. Because he truly enjoys helping people, he takes the time to build relationships with patients so he can offer fully individualized treatments to meet their dental needs. If you need dentures and would like a consultation, you’re welcome to request an appointment on the website or by calling (301) 816-9400.