Conditioning dentures for problem patients.

We have had considerable success with difficult patients through the use of conditioning dentures. Patients with severe gagging problems have been able to gradually accustom themselves to the presence of dentures in the privacy of their homes and at their own rate of progression. Patients without previous denture experience are given a chance to adjust to problems of speech, salivation, and taste prior to receiving their new dentures. We believe that conditioning dentures should be a part of the treatment sequence for all patients being prepared for their first dentures. Many problems are faced by the new denture patient, and anything the dentist can do to prepare him for this difficult time can increase the chances for success.