How long did you wait for new dentures after extractions?

Waiting is honestly the hardest part. I’ve seen people get impatient and want their dentures ASAP, but every mouth heals at its own pace. After my own extractions, I remember thinking my gums would never stop changing shape - just when they seemed settled, they’d shrink again. That metallic taste is weirdly common too... not fun. It’s tough, but letting things heal really does mean fewer headaches down the road.

That metallic taste is weirdly common too... not fun.

Yeah, that taste drove me nuts for weeks. I kept thinking I was chewing on spare change or something. My dentist wanted me to wait almost three months before fitting the permanent dentures - felt like forever, but honestly, my gums did keep shifting. Was tempted to rush it, but glad I didn’t. The fit’s way better now. Hang in there, it really does get easier.

Waiting those months felt endless to me too, but honestly, I think it was worth it for the fit. Did your gums keep shrinking during that time? Mine seemed to change every week, which was frustrating but kind of fascinating. That metallic taste drove me up the wall - I remember brushing constantly, hoping it’d go away. Are you finding things easier to eat now, or still sticking to softer stuff? It really does get better, just takes patience (which I don’t always have, to be honest).

That metallic taste drove me up the wall - I remember brushing constantly, hoping it’d go away.

Honestly, I never got that metallic taste - lucky break, I guess? But my gums did the whole disappearing act for months. I actually got impatient and went for immediate dentures right after extractions. The fit was... let’s say “ambitious.” Chewing apples felt like a circus trick. In hindsight, maybe waiting for the gums to settle is smarter, even if it makes you want to scream into a pillow. But hey, at least soup became my best friend for a while.

Immediate dentures are kind of a wild ride, right? I totally get the “ambitious” fit you mentioned - mine felt like wearing a mouthguard made for someone else. Here’s how it usually goes (in my experience, at least): after extractions, your gums start shrinking and changing shape pretty fast, especially in those first few weeks. If you put in immediate dentures, they’re bound to feel loose or awkward as everything heals up.

I tried to tough it out with apples too and nearly launched one across the kitchen. Not my proudest moment. Ended up sticking with mashed potatoes and yogurt for a while. Looking back, waiting a few months for the swelling to go down before getting the permanent set probably would've saved me some headaches (and weird chewing moments). But I get why people want teeth right away - walking around toothless isn’t exactly fun.

If anyone’s on the fence, just know that relines and adjustments are super common with immediate dentures. It’s not a one-and-done deal... more like “get ready for a few pit stops.”

I totally relate to the “mouthguard for someone else” feeling. Mine felt like a clunky Halloween costume for my gums at first. I waited about four months before getting my permanent set, and honestly, the patience paid off. The fit was way better once the swelling calmed down. Did anyone else get impatient and try to eat a burger too soon? That was... not my best decision, let’s just say.

That “Halloween costume” comparison made me laugh - so spot on. I’ve seen folks get really eager with chewy foods (burgers, steaks…you name it) before their gums settled, and it’s rarely pretty. Patience really does pay off. Four months can feel endless, but the difference in fit is huge once everything calms down.

That Halloween costume analogy really hits home - it’s wild how off those first dentures can feel before everything settles down. I totally get the impatience. Four months felt like an eternity for me, too, especially when you’re missing out on your favorite foods. But honestly, waiting made a world of difference in the fit and comfort. I tried to rush things with chewy stuff early on (huge mistake), and ended up with sore spots that set me back even more.

It’s tough seeing others breeze through it or ignore the waiting period, but everyone heals at their own pace. I found that sticking to softer foods and giving my gums time to chill paid off in the end. The final fit was so much better than those early days - I could actually smile and eat without worrying about slipping or pain. Hang in there; the patience really does pay off, even if it feels endless at times.

Waiting those months felt like a science experiment on my patience. My dentist warned me about bone shrinkage and how the gums reshape, so I stuck to soups and mashed potatoes way longer than I wanted. The payoff was real, though - my final set fit like they were custom-molded (which, I guess, they literally were). Rushing it just seems to mess with the healing process in ways you don’t expect.

That’s really encouraging to hear about the fit at the end - I’ve been worried about that part for my daughter. She’s only 13, so waiting felt extra long for her (and for us, honestly). Her dentist also mentioned the bone changes, but I always wondered if the wait time is different for younger patients? Did your dentist give you any tips for dealing with the soreness while you waited? We did a lot of smoothies, but she got pretty tired of them after a while...

Interesting you mention the age factor - I always wondered if younger patients heal up faster, or if their bones shift more quickly after extractions. Did your dentist say anything about whether her age would mean a shorter wait, or is it pretty much the same as for adults? For soreness, I remember my nephew’s dentist suggested cold packs and soft scrambled eggs as an alternative to endless smoothies. Did you ever try anything like that, or did she just not want to eat much at all?

I always wondered if younger patients heal up faster, or if their bones shift more quickly after extractions.

Honestly, I was curious about this too. My dentist kind of dodged the question when I asked if my healing would be faster since I’m only 27. He just said “everyone’s different” which is… not super helpful, but I guess true? I did Google way too much and saw people saying younger folks sometimes heal quicker, but then again, my mouth felt sore for longer than I expected. Maybe I’m just a slow healer.

About the food thing, scrambled eggs were a life-saver for me. Couldn’t do smoothies every day - there’s only so much banana anyone can handle. I tried mashed potatoes and even overcooked pasta cut into tiny pieces. Anything too chewy was a no-go for like a week. Honestly, hunger beat out any stubbornness about what to eat.

Cold packs definitely helped with swelling, though I felt a bit silly sitting there with a bag of frozen peas on my face. But hey, whatever works. The worst part for me was just being anxious about the whole process - waiting for the gums to heal, hoping I wouldn’t mess anything up by eating the wrong thing.

I still get nervous thinking about getting the actual dentures fitted. Feels like there’s always one more step to stress about... but hearing other people’s stories makes it less scary somehow.

Waiting for dentures after extractions can honestly feel like the longest part of the process. I was 31 when I had mine out, and my dentist also gave me the “everyone heals differently” line - which is frustratingly vague but, in my case, turned out to be true. My gums took their sweet time, even though I expected to bounce back quicker because of my age. Scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes basically became my diet staples too. And yeah, there’s nothing dignified about sitting with frozen peas on your face, but hey, whatever helps.

The nerves about getting fitted are totally normal. I remember feeling like each step was a whole new hurdle, but it does get easier once you’re through it. Just hang in there - most people say the anticipation is worse than the actual fitting itself.

I totally get what you mean about the “everyone heals differently” line - my dentist said the same and I thought it was just a way to dodge giving me a real answer. Turns out, my gums took nearly eight weeks to settle down enough for impressions, which felt like forever. I lived on yogurt and applesauce, and honestly, I started missing crunchy food way more than I expected. The nerves before the fitting were real, but it ended up being less awkward than I’d built it up in my head. Looking back, the waiting was actually the hardest part for me too.

Eight weeks? Wow, that’s a long time to be on soft foods. I keep hearing about the “healing at your own pace” thing, but honestly, I felt like my dentist was just being vague too. But then again, I went in expecting a set timeline and ended up getting my impressions done after just under four weeks. My gums were still a little tender, but my dentist said it was fine to go ahead since everything looked okay.

I will say, the waiting wasn’t actually the hardest part for me... it was more the uncertainty - like not knowing if biting into anything would hurt or mess something up. I caved and tried eating scrambled eggs with toast a couple times (probably not the best idea). It’s weird how you start craving stuff you never even noticed before - chips, carrots, even cereal.

The fitting itself was awkward for sure, but I think the real challenge is getting used to how they feel after. For me, the waiting was annoying, but adjusting to actually wearing them has been a whole other thing. Maybe everyone has a different “hardest part,” depending on what bugs them most.

That totally hits home for me, especially the part about uncertainty being the worst. I thought I’d be fine just following instructions, but every little twinge or weird feeling made me second-guess if I was healing “right.” My dentist also gave me that “everyone’s different” line, which honestly stressed me out more than it helped... I kept wondering if my slow progress meant something was wrong.

I’m still in the soft foods phase (week six), and it’s wild how much I miss biting into an apple. Never thought I’d crave raw veggies this much. Tried to sneak in a cracker once and regretted it - my gums were not ready. The fitting appointment is coming up, and I’m nervous about how awkward it might feel, but hearing you say adjusting is a whole new challenge actually makes me feel better. Like, it’s normal for this to be weird and take time.

Anyway, it helps knowing others are finding parts of this hard too - not just me overthinking everything.

I actually kinda liked when my dentist said “everyone’s different” - I get how it can feel vague, but for me it took some pressure off. Like, there isn’t just one “right” way to heal or adjust. I was so worried about timelines too, but honestly, my gums took way longer than what most people seemed to say online. I kept thinking I was behind, but turns out slow healing is pretty common, especially if you had a lot of extractions at once. The soft food phase does get old though... mashed potatoes lost their charm fast for me. Don’t stress the fitting too much - mine felt super weird at first, but after a few tweaks it got way better.

- Couldn’t agree more about the mashed potatoes... by week three, I never wanted to see them again.
- Healing really does have its own pace - mine dragged out after eight extractions.
- The “everyone’s different” line bugged me at first, but looking back, it was true.
- Denture fit was rough in the beginning; felt like I had a mouthful of Legos. After two adjustments, way better.
- If it helps, my timeline was about 10 weeks before my gums were ready for final impressions. Longest ten weeks ever, but it paid off.

The “everyone’s different” line bugged me at first, but looking back, it was true.

That line still makes me twitch, honestly. I get why people say it, but as someone who overthinks everything, I just want a clear answer - like, will I be eating real food in a month or not? My dentist said 8-12 weeks for healing before final impressions, and I’m only at week four. Still feels like forever. The mashed potatoes thing is too real... I’d trade my left sock for a crunchy carrot at this point. Anyone else just constantly worried they’re healing “wrong”?

That “everyone’s different” line drives me up the wall too. I’d love a real timeline, not just a shrug and “wait and see.” My dentist gave me the same 8-12 week window, and I’m at week five now. I keep second guessing every weird twinge or bump - like, is this swelling normal? Am I healing too slow? Too fast? I actually went back in at week three because I was convinced something was off (spoiler: it wasn’t). Felt a bit silly, but honestly, I’d rather be safe than sorry.

The food thing is brutal. I never thought I’d miss toast so much. I’ve basically been living on yogurt, mashed potatoes, and overcooked pasta. Tried to eat scrambled eggs the other day and somehow managed to make that an ordeal. I swear, if I see one more bowl of applesauce, I might lose it. Crunchy food feels like a distant memory right now. Sometimes I scroll through food pics just to torture myself.

Money-wise, I’m always worried that if something goes wrong and I need extra appointments or adjustments, it’ll cost more. Insurance only covers so much, and I’m already stretching it with all these visits. It’s like this constant low-level anxiety in the background - what if my gums don’t heal right and I need a reline or something? That’s another bill.

I know everyone heals at their own pace, but it’s tough not to compare when you’re stuck eating mush and watching the calendar crawl by. I keep telling myself it’s better to wait and get it done right than rush it and regret it later... but man, patience is not my strong suit.