Dentures work in a similar way to a prosthetic hand

When consenting new patients and at the fitting of new dentures I emphasise to the patient that the new dentures will require considerable amount of practice and adaptation for them to be a success.

I show them a prosthetic hand and ask them to imagine how it would feel to have an artificial hand. I say “a prosthetic hand would operate in a completely different way to a natural hand and this is no different with dentures v natural teeth. Dentures chew, bite and work in a totally different way to natural teeth and as such require considerable adaption. They are essentially well- engineered blocks of plastic”

In addition, I say “The new dentures have been made to the highest possible standards using all of our skills and knowledge, giving you the best possible chance of being able to wear them comfortably.  We are, however, reliant on your adaptation to the denture and it will require considerable practice and effort on your behalf to make it work. A similar analogy is learning how to use chopsticks instead of a knife and fork.”

Denture Blog 65

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