Pamster,

Okay. I understand. I wish you could manage the immediate denture though because it would help with the healing so much.

I'm going to tell you the honest truth because you are asking to be prepared ahead of time. Hopefully you will be able to manage okay.

You need to understand that the surgical wounds will be closed as tightly as possible. Generally, the dentist will get what we call primary closure which is placing enough sutures to close as much tissue together as possible. However, there could be areas that this may not be possible. All of the surgical areas will heal in time.

The immediate denture would have acted like a bandage and protected the surgical sites. Without that denture, the healing will be slower. For one thing you will not be able to bite against the wounds with your bottom teeth. so chewing is out of the question until they have closed over. Even without actually chewing, debris from anything you eat or drink will accumulate on the wounds making bacteria a concern until the surgical sites have completely healed closed. You will need to see your dentist a few times or so for the first few weeks of healing. You will also need to be very careful about your soft food diet and diligent with salt water rinses 3-4 times a day.

Given the information that I have, you can understand how the healing can take several months without wearing an immediate denture. The initial inflammation can be significant because there is no tourniquet (the denture) preventing the wounds from swelling up. But the swelling does vary a lot from one person to another so this is not predictable. Some bleeding may occur for several days because there is no protection. So you may get bleeding after you eat or drink. Again, this is not predictable as to how long it will last.

Depending on how well and quick you heal will determine when the dentist can take impressions to fabricate the denture. I have known countless people who have taken this approach and healed really well within 6 weeks... others have taken a few months. It just all depends on the individual.

If your surgery is around 11 am and you are having twilight sedation.... you will need to eat within an hour of getting home. You will be given pain meds which will require something in your stomach to avoid unpleasantness later on. A nutritious milk shake or smoothie is a good option for the first meal. If you are able to juice vegetables and drink it .... that is even better and can be taken for the first few meals. The veggies give you instant nutrients which will speed the healing process.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day for several days. This helps to keep you hydrated, gets rid of toxins from the surgery and anesthesia and it also helps to keep the wounds clean.

I hope this is helpful to you...
You will be okay... I know you will

Bryanna