The Appointments Involved in Getting Dentures

There are three dentures types that a usually fitted for a patient. These are partial dentures, full dentures, and immediate dentures. The time it takes to fit any of these varies on the patient, the amount of pre-installation work that is required and the type of fitting to best suit the needs of the patient. At our clinic, typically fitting of a full denture takes four to five visits, though there are times when it may take longer based on special circumstances. It is important to have a good idea of what to expect when you are coming in to get them fitted, so here is a breakdown of the first four visits. Measuring for Dentures: The first visit is the examination portion of the procedure where we will spend most of the time examining your teeth, gums, and bone structure to determine what the best method to proceed is. A comprehensive examination will tell us how much tissue will be usable once any remaining teeth have been removed.  It will also tell us how stable and strong the support structure is, and if we need to recommend the surgical removal of flabby tissue that may interfere with the denture. We will also be looking to see if there needs to be an altering of the shape of the underlying bone so that, once fitted, the dentures are perfect. Over the course of the first visits, we will also take impressions of the upper and lower gums, known as the edentulous (toothless) ridges (gums). These impressions will be made of plaster so that we have an accurate mold of the shape of the edentulous ridges. Finally, we will spend some time discussing with you the shape, size, and shade of the new teeth that are being installed. Dentures are designed to look and feel like a naturally occurring set of teeth, so it is important that you feel comfortable with these three elements (size, shape, and shade). Length of the dentures: The second visit is when we determine the length of the teeth being made based on the alignment of your upper and lower jaw. The relationship between your jaws is critical to being able to speak and eat correctly and without clicking. This visit could very well be referred to as a center jaw relationship (CJR) or the maximum mandibular retrusion (MMR) visit based on the priority placed on the jaw relationship. We will be using a loose-fitting denture and a rim of wax, to simulate the teeth, to make sure that the teeth are the ideal length and that the plane of your teeth is ideal. Wax try-in’s for the dentures: The third visit consists of trying on the first iteration of the dentures. These dentures will replace the loose fitting plastic we used during visit two with an actual plastic piece designed to fit your mouth. The difference between this and the final product is that the teeth are embedded in wax instead of the plastic, and the base fits loosely over the gums so that we can get an idea of what the final product will look like. We can also make adjustments based on this fitting. Leave with dentures: After a few minor adjustments and making sure your dentures fit perfectly, you will leave visit four with a brand new set of teeth. Dentist > Dental Crowns

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