It will take a bit of time to get use to your new denture, particularly if it is your first. Unfortunately, a complete denture will not feel like your teeth did when you had them. They should, however, become comfortable and functional with time.

Speaking- At first you will have some difficulty with speaking and this is to be expected. Some people describe this as trying to talk with a "mouth full of marbles". Be patient; you will quickly adapt with practice and soon you will find you can not speak properly without your denture. There is no way to predict how long this will take, each patient adapts at a different rate.

Eating- Eating takes practice as well. The important thing to remember is that you do not chew with your denture as you did when you had teeth. Natural teeth chew in an up and down motion. Denture teeth, on the other hand, use a side to side motion to mash down the food. Always cut your food into small pieces for more effective denture chewing. It is unpredictable how well you will adapt to eating. Some patients can chew just about anything whereas others find they are limited in how well they can chew. All patients, however do improve with practice, time, and a bit of patience.

Denture Fit- Your denture will "settle in" in a short time and should fit well. We will gladly adjust for any sore areas that develop. Upper dentures usually fit snugly and stay in with suction. The lower denture, however, does not develop this suction due to the different shape of the lower jaw. The lower tends to "float". You will learn with time how to help hold the lower stable by the way you use your mouth while eating, speaking, and resting. Once again, this takes time and it is not possible to predict how well each patient will adapt. Denture adhesives can help but we recommend you not use them during the first few weeks of wearing your new denture.