There are two words that answer this question efficiently and effortlessly—palateless dentures. So, yes. You can get upper dentures without a palate. How is that done? What should you expect and are there any benefits? We’ll look at that and more in this piece.
What You Need to Know About Palateless Dentures
Traditional dentures cover your palate and make it soft. That’s because they cover the top portion of your mouth. Even though this solves the original issue, it does lead to certain other problems like one’s ability to taste their food, along with a few minor hindrances in that part’s ability to function effectively. Now, it’s hard to complain about them all because it was looked at as a compromise.
But thanks to the evolution of modern dentistry, we now have palateless dentures. These dentures have been designed specifically for those individuals who do not have upper teeth. The way the available options now work, you won’t need overdentures, restorations, or dental implants which makes it all the better.
As the name suggests, palateless dentures are essentially upper dentures but they don’t have a palate. This means you can get the benefits of traditional dentures without having to give up on your sense of taste.
A lot of dental patients are now choosing palateless dentures because they don’t have to spend a lot of time adjusting to the new dentures. And those who have a high gag reflex will also quite like that the architecture of their mouth isn’t going to change as much as it would with conventional dentures.
How Palateless Dentures Work
There are a few steps before you go in to get your new set of dentures. It’s not complicated but it has to be precise so that you can experience the benefits of getting palateless dentures.
Step 1: Impressions
Once you decide to get palateless dentures, you will be asked to start by giving the impressions of both your upper and lower arch. This will be used to make the dentures. They will also ensure that your ability to bite remains unaffected or is at least aligned with the dentures.
Step 2: Placing the Dental Implant
After the measurements are taken, you will get dental implants placed. This will be done in the jawbone which is why you will need it to heal before proceeding to the next step.
Step 3: Healing
This phase usually lasts for about 3 to 4 months. During this time, the implants will get attached to the jawbone they were placed in.
This step will ensure that your palateless dentures have a strong anchor without changing the structure of your mouth. You can also wear temporary dentures during this healing process.
Step 4: More Impressions
Once the healing period is complete, you will have to go in to give some more impressions. This is a double check to make sure that nothing has changed during this period of time and the original impressions are still applicable. Once the impressions are confirmed, you will be ready for an accurate fitting of palateless dentures.
Step 5: Get Your Permanent Dentures
At this point, your permanent dentures will be ready and it is time to place them on the dental implants that have been placed in your jawbone. Once that is done, you will get it all checked. This means seeing if it fits right, if they look the way they are supposed to and if your bite is still unaffected as it should be.
The Procedure Itself
The procedure of getting palateless dentures is also rather simple and painless. For starters, you will be given sedatives while they are being placed. That’s good news for those of you who are worried about how painful the procedure might be.
After the surgery, of course, you will feel a little bit of pain and discomfort. But the pain can be managed with some over-the-counter medications and the discomfort is just a matter of getting used to the new dentures.
The procedure of getting the implants takes about one hour for each implant. You will then be given instructions about how to care for them afterward. And in just a day, you will be back to normal.
Summary
Palateless dentures are a great asset because you will feel like you got your original teeth back. They are also more comfortable compared to traditional dentures. And finally, you will be able to experience your food just the way you were meant to. So, if you don’t have a palate, you can still get upper dentures.