Zdorovie Mliving with dentures and implants: a calm reference guide

An independent reference guide to living with dental prostheses and implants. It is not a clinic, does not see patients and has no connection with the previous website on this domain. Treatment and care are prescribed by your dentist; if you have severe pain, swelling or an injury, see a doctor, and in an emergency call 112 or 103 (or your local emergency number).

Topics

Topics

Everything this guide covers is arranged in four groups: crowns and bridges, removable dentures, implants, and care of your gums and natural teeth. Each card gives a short explanation and a link to the section where the topic is covered in more depth. We describe what happens in everyday life, but we do not suggest which restoration to choose: that is decided at your appointment.

Every restoration in the mouth sits next to living tissue. That is why any conversation about dentures always turns out to be a conversation about gums as well.

— Editor's note

How this section works: we explain how restorations are made up and the everyday situations that come with them, in plain words and without advice on choosing treatment. Where a card mentions care, it means a general principle; the exact routine is set by your dentist.

Crowns and bridges

Fixed restorations are attached to teeth or implants and can only be removed by a dentist. They are cleaned in place, with particular attention to where they meet the gum.

What a crown is

A crown covers a tooth like a cap and restores its shape. Underneath it is living or previously treated tooth tissue, which still needs looking after.

Glossary

A bridge and its middle part

A bridge replaces a missing tooth and rests on the teeth either side. Plaque collects under its middle part, so that area needs separate cleaning with the tools your dentist suggests.

Care

The crown edge at the gum

The point where a crown meets the tooth needs especially careful cleaning. If the gum there turns red or bleeds, tell your dentist.

Approaches

Removable dentures

A removable denture is taken out and put back in by the wearer. That makes cleaning easier, but it calls for care and time to get used to it.

Getting used to a denture

At first a denture may feel bulky, get in the way of speech and make you produce more saliva. These sensations usually ease over time; if they do not, it is a reason to see your dentist.

Care

Cleaning and storage

Dentures are cleaned every day and stored as your dentist advised. A towel laid in the sink or a little water in the basin helps stop the denture breaking if it slips.

Care

Rubbing and breakages

Redness, sore spots on the gums, a crack or a chipped piece are all reasons to see your dentist. Repairing or adjusting a denture yourself usually only makes things worse.

Approaches

Helping an older relative

If someone close to you finds it hard to look after their denture, help them calmly and without rushing. It is useful to go to an appointment together and ask the dentist to show the right movements.

Ask your dentist

Implants

An implant replaces the root of a tooth, and a crown, bridge or removable denture is attached on top. The tissue around it needs ongoing care.

How an implant is built

The implant itself sits in the bone; a connecting part is fitted to it above the gum, and the visible part of the tooth goes on top of that. The glossary explains these words in more detail.

Glossary

Cleaning around an implant

Plaque at the base of a crown on an implant irritates the gum just as it does around a natural tooth. This area needs cleaning every day, following the routine your dentist has chosen.

Care

Regular check-ups

Even when everything is fine, your dentist will check the tissue around the implant from time to time. How often you should come is decided by your dentist based on your situation.

Ask your dentist

Gums and remaining teeth

Your own teeth next to a restoration often support it. Their health and the condition of your gums directly affect how well the denture serves you.

Supporting teeth

Teeth that hold a bridge or anchor a removable denture carry extra load. Thorough cleaning and noticing changes early help to keep them.

Care

Bleeding gums

Blood when brushing is not a reason to brush more gently or give up on care. It is a signal to tell your dentist where and when it happens.

Approaches

Fear of the dentist

Many people feel nervous in the dentist's chair. Talking honestly with your dentist about your worries and writing questions down beforehand make appointments noticeably easier.

Ask your dentist

Catalogue of articles in English

This section will gradually feature standalone articles written for English-speaking readers about everyday life with dentures, crowns and implants: settling in, daily care, supporting family members and getting ready for appointments. Every article is checked by our editors against the rules of this guide.

What we're working on

  • Packing for a holiday when you wear a removable denture
  • Talking to an ageing parent about why they shouldn't fix a denture at home
  • Eating out with confidence in the first weeks with a new denture
  • Preparing for a dental appointment when you feel anxious
  • Caring for a crown on an implant compared with a natural tooth
  • Helping a relative in a care home keep up with denture care

Editorial rules

  • Articles in this catalogue are written separately for each language version and are not translations.
  • Some articles link to third-party websites, including gaming services; we do not control their content, prices or terms.
  • We do not publish advertising for clinics, dental laboratories, materials or care products, rankings, prices or reviews.
  • Care

    Step-by-step daily care for dentures and implants: cleaning, storage and checking yourself in the mirror.

  • Approaches

    What your dentist does and what is up to you, plus the signs that mean a visit should not be put off.

  • Glossary

    Plain explanations of words such as crown, bridge, inlay, cast partial denture, abutment and mucositis.

  • Ask your dentist

    Questions for your dentist before treatment, after a restoration is fitted and about everyday care.

What we rely on

  • Advice from your dentist and the instructions for your specific restoration
  • WHO materials on oral health (general principles)

This page brings together generally accepted information about caring for dental restorations as it stood when the page was prepared. Details are refined over time, and how to care for your own denture or implant is decided by the dentist who fitted it or who looks after it.