If you’re considering implant dentures, you may be wondering how they’ll affect everyday activities such as eating and enjoying your favorite foods. One common question is whether implant dentures can change your sense of taste. The answer isn’t always straightforward because several factors can influence how you experience flavors after getting dentures.
Implant Dentures Don’t Usually Affect Taste Directly
Your taste buds are primarily located on your tongue, not your teeth. Dental implants themselves don’t typically interfere with your ability to detect sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or savory flavors.
However, the denture portion of an implant-supported restoration can influence how food feels and tastes. The design and coverage of the denture can make a difference, particularly if it covers portions of the roof of your mouth.
Implant Dentures May Offer an Advantage
Traditional upper dentures often cover a significant portion of the palate. This can reduce the amount of food that directly contacts the taste buds in that area and may make some foods seem less flavorful to certain people.
Depending on the design, implant-supported dentures can sometimes be made with less palatal coverage than conventional dentures. This may allow more of the roof of the mouth to remain uncovered, potentially improving comfort and allowing some patients to experience food more naturally.
The exact design depends on factors such as the number and position of implants, your anatomy, and the type of restoration you’re receiving.
Smell Also Influences Flavor
Your sense of taste isn’t the only factor that determines how you experience food. Your sense of smell plays a major role in flavor perception.
If a denture feels bulky or uncomfortable, you may also become more aware of it while eating. As you adjust to your new restoration, the sensation can become less noticeable, allowing you to focus more on the food itself.
Give Yourself Time to Adjust
After receiving implant dentures, it may take some time to get accustomed to the new restoration. You may initially notice differences in how foods feel in your mouth or how easily you chew.
As you become more comfortable eating with your new teeth, your overall eating experience may improve. Following your dentist’s recommendations about what foods to eat during the healing period is particularly important.
If you notice a significant or persistent change in your ability to taste, talk with your dentist. Changes in taste can have many possible causes unrelated to dentures, including medications, illness, dry mouth, or other health conditions.
While implant dentures generally don’t directly affect your taste buds, the design of your restoration can influence your overall eating experience. If you’re considering implant dentures, ask your dentist how the specific design will affect your palate coverage, comfort, chewing ability, and sense of taste.
About the Practice
Our team at Devonshire Dental of Boston proudly offers implant-retained dentures for patients who desire a more stable, longer-lasting solution to their missing teeth. For your convenience, we place implants in-house, so you don’t even have to visit a specialist! Also, we’re in-network with multiple dental insurance providers. Schedule your appointment online or by phone at (617) 350-7474.