The process of receiving false teeth, formally known as dentures, is a structured series of clinical and laboratory steps that unfold over weeks or months. The total timeline depends primarily on the condition of the patient’s existing teeth and whether extractions are required before placement. Dentists offer two main pathways: the conventional method, which prioritizes complete healing, and the immediate method, which prioritizes not being without teeth. Understanding these approaches sets realistic expectations for when a new smile will be complete.
The Timeline for Conventional Dentures
The conventional denture process is the longer pathway because it requires complete tissue healing before fabrication begins. This method is chosen when achieving the most stable, long-term fit is the primary goal, as the denture is constructed around the final, healed contours of the mouth. After extractions, the dental ridge and gum tissue must heal fully, typically taking two to six months.
During this time, the bone structure supporting the teeth remodels and changes shape. This remodeling must be complete; otherwise, the subsequent changes in the jawbone and gums would cause the prosthetic to become loose and unstable. Once the dentist determines the tissues are stable, the multi-step process of taking final impressions and fabricating the permanent denture begins. The main drawback is that the patient must manage without any teeth during the entire healing and fabrication period.
The Timeline for Immediate Dentures
The immediate denture pathway is designed for patients who cannot or do not wish to spend time without teeth following extractions. These prosthetics are fabricated before the teeth are removed, using impressions taken while the natural teeth are still present. On the day of the extraction procedure, the immediate denture is inserted immediately after the teeth are pulled, serving as a functional, pre-made bandage that protects the surgical sites.
While initial placement is fast, the immediate denture is considered a temporary solution requiring extensive follow-up care. As the gums and bone heal over the next six to twelve months, they shrink significantly, causing the denture’s fit to deteriorate rapidly. The patient must attend multiple appointments for adjustments and temporary relines, where material is added to the denture base to improve stability and comfort.
These appointments accommodate the continuous changes in the mouth’s contour during healing. After approximately six to twelve months, when the tissue contours have stabilized, a new, permanent conventional denture is typically fabricated to replace the immediate one. This final prosthetic offers superior fit, stability, and longevity compared to the initial temporary appliance.
The Necessary Steps in Denture Creation
The creation process involves a detailed series of clinical appointments and laboratory work, regardless of whether the patient receives conventional or immediate dentures. The first phase involves taking preliminary impressions of the mouth, which are molds used to create initial plaster models. These models allow the dental laboratory to construct custom-fit impression trays for the next, more precise set of impressions.
The next appointment focuses on bite registration, using wax rims to record the proper relationship between the upper and lower jaws (vertical dimension and centric relation). This step ensures the new teeth meet correctly for biting and chewing. The laboratory uses these records to set the artificial teeth into a wax base, creating a mock-up of the final denture.
The aesthetic and functional quality is checked during the wax try-in appointment, allowing the patient to approve the appearance and the dentist to verify the fit. Once approved, the dental laboratory requires one to three weeks to process the wax mock-up into the final acrylic denture. After delivery, minor adjustments are almost always necessary over the first few weeks to refine the fit and address any discomfort.