What Will My First Day Be Like?

Leave the denture in place until your doctor instructs you to remove it.  You should not experience any excessive bleeding.  There will be some mild discomfort, but this should be minimal and controlled by the pain medication only as directed.  The denture should feel secure.  You may east as soon as you wish to, but avoid excessively hard or sticky foods for a period of time recommended by your dentist.  Upon removing the denture, rinse your mouth antiseptic mouthwash and gently clean around each implant fixture with a cotton swab and toothpaste.  Use a cotton swab for three days.  After that, use your ACCESS Toothbrush.  It has been specifically designed to clean your implants and gently stimulate the surrounding gum tissue.

How Do I Place and Remove My Dentures?

The implants and the O-ring fixtures must be clean and free from debris.  Grasp the denture with both hands and lightly seat the denture, feeling that the O-rings are resting above the ball head of the implants, then press down firmly and equally on both sides.  Make sure that you feel the implant heads easily fitting each O-ring.  You will feel the denture snap into place.  If you have trouble seating your denture, first make sure that the implants and denture are absolutely clean.   Secondly, make sure that you feel the implants resting over each socket.  A light touch will give you the best results.  Remember to push downward equally on both sides.  If you are still experiencing difficulty, see if a spouse or family member can assist you in placing the denture.

To remove the denture, place your thumbs under each side of the lower denture rim and push both sides upward at the same time.  The tongue can also assist in this simple removal process.  Use normal pressure in an upward motion.

What About Care & Maintence?

You must brush and clean the ball of the implants as if they were your natural teeth.  As with natural teeth, food and bacterial debris (plaque) must be removed after meals.  If not removed, the plaque will cause inflammation of the gums and can be forced into the O-ring fixtures, causing improper seating and loss of retention.  The O-ring fixtures must also be cleaned out.

The ACCESS Toothbrush has been specifically designed for optimum cleaning of the implant fixtures.  Ultrasonic cleaners are ideal for ensuring that the retaining fixtures are kept clean and free from food impaction and debris.  Use either  mouthwash or a 50-50 peroxide solution in the ultrasonic cleaner.  A “Water-Pic” may also be used to rinse out the denture fixtures.

If the denture does not remain firmly in place, call your dentist and inform him/her of your problems.