We asked our families for their best advice.
Here’s what they said.
- Bribery! Determine treats or prizes that the child would earn for wearing their dentures “x” amount of time each day. Increase the times until he or she is wearing them all day, every day. You could do a star chart if they are younger. Or, you and your child (of any age) could create in advance a list of the prizes they would like to have if they wear their dentures for a week.
- Ask grandparents to help. Have an adult, such as a grandparent, who wears dentures talk and help your child throughout the process. They can help teach them. Also, the child will feel better with someone they know having them, too.
- Be persistent. Don’t give in. It’s much easier to get children to wear them for the first time when they are young than when they are in junior high. Follow them around for the first week. Every time they take them out, put them back in. Don’t let them stop wearing them! One mom said, “My son had dentures at age five and refused to wear them and we relented. He is now 19 and trying again but has very little bone. Implants are probably in his future and who knows what all. I so wish we had made him wear them.”
- Read Carver’s New Smile with your child. NFED mom, Julie Claeys, created this children’s book which tells the story of her son, Carver, and his adventure getting his dentures. It’s a must have for your younger children. Order yours.
- Be sure they fit right. Remember that your child is growing, but those dentures do not. She needs a new set every one to two years, depending on how much she’s growing. Don’t be afraid to make SEVERAL trips to the dentist. They need to fit right!
- Have fun with it. My son likes it when we make his teeth talk to him before putting them in. His teeth are “silly” and always excited about being in his mouth. He loves it and really looks forward to putting them in his mouth.
- Let them eat steak! Ok, that may not be at the top of their list, but find things they couldn’t eat before the dentures. Have them write down the foods they can’t eat but want to once they have their dentures. Once the dentures are in place, try these new foods they have been waiting to eat.
- Celebrate! If they are younger, download the Tooth Party Kit. Have your Tooth Party to celebrate their new smile and the fact they are wearing them. If they are older, figure out what kind of party interests them and host one.
What worked for you in getting your child to wear dentures? Leave us your best tips in the comments.
Good advice for those struggling in the first few weeks. Its gets easier but it takes time. You can’t give in!! Its your child and those are their teeth. They just don’t realize that at the moment. There will be a time when they take ownership of them and really want them. Stick with it! Having teeth will help their self esteem. Help with their speech developement and also with their nutrition. Get the whole family involved….Make it fun!
What do you recommend for adhesive.
We have tried almost everything on the market…polydent, fixodent, sea bond strips…his bottom dentures do not stay in place. So when he tries to eat it isn’t very comfortable for
Him.
I am 47 years old and there was no support groups or internet when I was growing up with ED. My dentist gave me a lower over denture when I was about 18, because I did not have any lower front teeth and could not bite off any food. After successfully wearing those for a year, I asked my dentist if he could make me an over denture for the top teeth so I can look normal. He said yes! So my real teeth stayed in and I got to feel like a normal adult. The next 20 years were much better than the first! Make them wear the dentures, because the phrase toothless old granny from the neighborhood kids still rings in my ears today.
At what age did you get your first set of dentures for your child? I didn’t do them for my older child (looking back I wish we did – we put fake teeth on braces on top, but didn’t have any on the bottom – kids called her shark tooth and would ask to see her teeth). My 8 year old son is starting to lose teeth and new ones either aren’t there or are cone shaped. Any advice or insights on timing would be great.
Hi, Mary. At the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias, we recommend that the child get their first set of dentures by the time they start kindergarten. We do know of many children who got their first dentures at age 2 or 3 and did very well with them. You might consider reading the following articles to help you: https://nfed.org/learn/library/hes-young-dentures/ and https://nfed.org/learn/library/parameters-dental-health-care/. Hope this helps you!
I am grateful for the info.
Awesome tips. Convincing your child to use dentures is one of the many ways we parents show unconditional love, by not giving up!
As much as they might not like it, it can be necessary for children to wear dentures. Understandably it can be hard to convince a child to wear dentures but with proper guidance and explanation, they will be grateful for it in the long run.
I didn’t think about how some kids might need dentures. Your advice about having someone they know who wears dentures teach them how to care for them. That seems like it would help them understand how to do it properly as well ad give them some comfort.
Hi. My 7 year old son fell off a chair and lost his one front tooth. The dentist made him a plate (im not sure what word is as my first language is not english) He refused to ware it for the first 3 weeks but he is wearing it now. He takes off the plate when he eats and drinks cause he says it falls out but otherwise he keeps it in his mouth when he is awake. Is it fine or should he keep it in all the time?
Hello. We do know that some kids prefer take out their partial denture while eating. Encourage him to try and wear it while eating and drinking. It takes time to adjust to wearing it. Be encouraging and supportive. Also, make sure the denture is a good fit. Good luck! ~ Jodi, Director, NFED Marketing and Communications