Impressions and bite records are taken with your current teeth still in place. The lab sets the denture teeth to replicate or improve upon your natural tooth arrangement, then removes the teeth from the stone model and sculpts the predicted ridge contour. The finished denture is ready before your extraction appointment. After extraction, the denture is seated immediately.

They can closely replicate your natural tooth arrangement if desired, since the denture is designed while your teeth are still present as a reference. Alternatively, this is an opportunity to improve tooth alignment, shade, or proportions that you were dissatisfied with. The wax try-in step may be limited or eliminated with immediate dentures, so thorough pre-fabrication planning is essential.

Initially, the fit is approximate because the denture was fabricated to a predicted ridge shape. As the extraction sites heal and the bone remodels (significant changes occur over three to six months), the fit loosens progressively. Tissue conditioners and temporary soft relines maintain function during healing. A permanent hard reline or new denture is fabricated once healing stabilizes — typically at six to twelve months.

Expect frequent follow-ups during the first month: 24-hour post-extraction check, one-week adjustment, two-week adjustment, and additional visits as needed for sore spot relief. After the initial month, visits space to every two to four weeks for three to six months. Each visit evaluates healing, adjusts the denture, and applies tissue conditioner as needed.

Liquid and very soft foods only for the first 24 to 48 hours while the extraction sites begin healing. Gradually introduce soft solid foods over the first week. Avoid the surgical areas when chewing initially. By two to three weeks, most patients manage a soft-food diet comfortably. Full dietary adaptation takes several months as healing progresses and the denture is adjusted.

Post-extraction discomfort is managed with prescribed pain medication and is typically moderate — comparable to multiple tooth extractions without a denture. The immediate denture actually helps control pain by protecting the extraction sites and applying gentle pressure that reduces swelling. Most patients manage comfortably with medication for three to five days.

Do not remove the immediate denture for the first 24 hours — it acts as a bandage over the surgical sites. After the 24-hour check-up appointment, you can remove the denture for cleaning but should wear it as much as possible during the first week. After the first week, remove nightly for tissue rest and cleaning.

Immediate dentures cost approximately 20% to 30% more than conventional dentures due to the additional appointments, modified fabrication process, and tissue conditioning materials needed during healing. Typical cost: $2,200 to $4,500 per arch, plus the extraction fees. A reline fee ($300 to $500) is anticipated at six to twelve months. Insurance typically covers both the extractions and the immediate denture.

Not necessarily. Many immediate dentures are permanently relined at six to twelve months once healing stabilizes, and the relined denture serves as the long-term prosthetic. Some patients prefer to have a new denture fabricated at that point using conventional techniques (now possible because the teeth are healed) for best fit from the start. Both approaches are valid.

Yes. In some cases, implants are placed at the same appointment as extractions, and the immediate denture is modified to accommodate the healing implants. After osseointegration (three to six months), the denture can be converted to an implant-supported overdenture. This combined approach saves time and provides the best long-term outcome.

A transitional (interim) immediate denture is a temporary prosthetic designed to serve during the healing period with the expectation of replacement once healing is complete. It uses more economical materials and simplified processing since it will be replaced within six to twelve months. This approach reduces upfront cost while still providing immediate tooth replacement after extraction.

Yes. Immediate partial dentures replace specific teeth being extracted while clasping onto remaining natural teeth. The design principles are the same — fabrication before extraction, placement the same day, and reline after healing. This is a common approach when several failing teeth need extraction but healthy teeth remain to support the partial.

No period without teeth (preserving social confidence and eating ability), protection of extraction sites, maintenance of facial support and vertical dimension throughout healing, immediate speech adaptation (rather than starting from scratch weeks later), and the denture serves as a template for the eventual permanent prosthetic.

Less precise initial fit (fabricated to predicted rather than actual ridge shape), more follow-up appointments, need for reline or replacement as healing alters the ridge, slightly higher cost, and limited ability to preview the tooth arrangement before extraction (wax try-in is often not possible with immediate dentures).

After the first 24 hours: remove for gentle cleaning with soft brush and lukewarm water twice daily. Rinse after eating. Do not use denture cleaner tablets during the first week (chemical irritation of surgical sites). Rinse your mouth gently with warm salt water after removing the denture. Reinsert promptly — extended removal during the early healing phase allows tissue swelling that makes reinsertion difficult.