Immediate vs. Permanent Dentures: What’s the Difference (and Which Is Right for You)?

Educational guide only—always follow your dentist or denturist’s instructions.

• Immediate dentures go in the same day teeth are removed so you don’t go without a smile. They’re a healing/transition set that usually needs frequent adjustments and relines while your gums and bone change.
• Permanent (conventional) dentures are made after healing, so the fit is typically more precise, more stable, and longer-lasting with fewer relines.
• Adhesives like Denttach can help in specific moments for both types—but they should support, not replace, a proper fit.

What are immediate dentures?

Immediate dentures are placed right after extractions. Your clinician takes impressions beforehand and fabricates an appliance that’s ready the day of surgery.

Why people choose them

• You leave the office with teeth—no “toothless period”
• Help protect extraction sites like a bandage
• Provide a starting point for speaking and eating

What to expect

• Gums and bone shrink rapidly during the first weeks/months → expect multiple adjustments
• Soft relines are common during healing to maintain comfort
• Many patients either (a) have the immediate denture professionally relined to become their long-term set, or (b) fabricate a new, permanent denture once healing stabilizes

Pros

• Instant smile and function
• Tissue protection and guidance for the bite
• Psychological comfort during the transition

Cons

• Fit changes quickly, so more follow-up visits
• May feel bulkier or less precise at first
• Often not the final esthetic/fit outcome

What are permanent dentures?

Permanent dentures are made after healing has largely stabilized (often several weeks to a few months after extractions; your provider will set the timeline).

Why people choose them

• Tissues are stable, allowing for more accurate impressions and jaw measurements
• Refined esthetics (tooth shape, shade, gum contours) and predictable fit

Pros

• Typically better comfort and stability day-to-day
• Fewer relines needed compared to the healing phase
• Often thinner/lighter with improved speech and chewing efficiency

Cons

• You may need a temporary solution while healing, or plan for time without teeth if you skip immediates (soft food diets, may be uncomfortable to go out in public etc.)
• Still require maintenance over the years as bone remodels

Healing & Timeline (typical pattern)

1. Extractions Day → Immediate Denture In
• Soreness, swelling; adjustments likely in the first 24–72 hours.
2. Weeks 1–6
• Rapid tissue changes → soft relines and bite adjustments.
3. Weeks 6–12+
• Changes slow; your clinician decides when you’re “stable enough” for a permanent denture (or a lab reline to convert your immediate into a long-term denture).
4. Beyond
• Periodic checks; relines as needed over the years due to natural bone remodeling.

(Every mouth heals differently—your provider sets the schedule, if anything feels off during the process  contact your dentist.)