What are Immediate Dentures?

Q: I need to have my remaining 12 teeth removed and a new set of dentures made. Once the teeth are removed, I won’t be able to use my partial denture teeth anymore because they will not have any teeth to clip to. What will I where for teeth while I am waiting for the new dentures to be made which will take several weeks?

A: Firstly, let me thank all those who attended my seminar last Friday. As we tally the numbers and the names we will make a donation to the St Mary’s Pediatric Oncology Support Team (P.O.S.T) in the name of the list of attendees.

Only one person out of 70 in the audience fell asleep, so I thought. It turns out he was an observant Buddhist form Nepal who was deep in prayer, praying for the end of a drought back home. I should have known when I saw his llama wearing a red service animal harness and requested a “special meal” with the caterer.

Today’s question is appropriate as it relates to my newest pro bono holocaust survivor living below poverty level, Mr. Z. His brother was murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz, the concentration camp that slaughtered 2 Million Jews. He then escaped to Israel where he fought in their army in the war for independence, only to move to the US and be drafted to fight in the Vietnam War for America. He is 85 but looks like he could arm wrestle me to the floor.

Before we take his teeth out, we make a preliminary set of dentures first; they are called “immediate dentures or transitional dentures”. They go in the mouth the same day the teeth are pulled. They don’t fit great, but give you some teeth for esthetics until we make a final set when healing is complete. During the healing period we often re-line the immediate dentures for a better fit.