Written by Andrew Sedler
Flexible partials are one of our most popular and most trouble-free products. For over 60 years Valplast has been a very viable alternative to cast partial denture frameworks. In recent years there have been several other entries into the market for flexible partial dentures, driven by patients and clinicians alike looking for metal-free partial options. While there are many materials available for flexible partials, we have found two that work well for our clinicians: Valplast and TCS flexible partials. (Fig. 1)
As popular as flexible partials are, there is one thing that I have heard from clinicians for YEARS, that these nylon partials are hard to adjust and polish. The recommended way is for a lab to polish a Valplast using rag wheels with pumice then Tripoli, not very practical for clinical situations. There is also the official Valplast technique to adjust and polish chairside, which uses carbide burs, green stones, and silicone acrylic polisher.
The simplest way that I have found to adjust and polish chairside is by using a silicone acrylic polisher alone. Keeping it simple is my objective: zero bur changes, minimum mess, and most importantly, not having to leave the chairside. For almost all adjustments, you will only need to use the bullet-shaped, medium grit straight hand-piece bur (Fig. 2).
If you need to adjust inside of a clasp, you can use the smaller point bur. Start off adjusting with speed at about 30,000 rpm with a medium to firm pressure. You will get a few material tags, but they will be removed in buffing phase 2. In Step 2 use the same bur but reduce speed to about 10,000 rpm and use only light pressure buffing strokes to remove tags, smooth and achieve a nice satin finish. This is usually a very acceptable finish that will be a very comfortable feel for patients. If you want to go one step further, you can use a small rag/muslin wheel buff on your straight hand-piece and Valplast Mirror Shine Compound (Fig. 3), but this is probably more than you would need or want to do.
This simplified approach should save you chair time and eliminate any aggravation in getting the level of excellence that the clinicians seek at Burbank Dental Lab.
--- TONY SEDLER, PRESIDENT
Let us know by giving us a clap!
Burbank Dental Lab has three new state-of-the-art Carbon M2 printers. We are very excited about the options that these cutting-edge printers will allow us to offer our dental clients. Here are some of the advantages that these printers will begin to deliver to you and your dental practice.
Carbon offers a highly dependable 3D manufacturing solution for many dental applications with its breakthrough Digital Light Synthesis™ technology, enabled by a wide range of dental materials.
Burbank Dental Lab has three new state-of-the-art Carbon M2 printers. We are very excited about the options that these cutting-edge printers will allow us to offer our dental clients. Here are some of the advantages that these printers will begin to deliver to you and your dental practice.
Carbon offers a highly dependable 3D manufacturing solution for many dental applications with its breakthrough Digital Light Synthesis™ technology, enabled by a wide range of dental materials.
“I like how fast I get my cases back. It’s a lot faster than I expected.”
Read Full Review
“Burbank is amazing. I am blown away by their craftsmanship. Crowns are absolutely beautiful. Patients love them. Wyoming and Jason have been great with communication. I will continue to send...
Read Full Review
“I have been using Burbank Dental Lab for a few years now. I have been very happy with the results. The best part is that the team communicates well regarding...
Read Full Review
“Burbank Dental Lab allows me to deliver high-quality zirconia crowns to my patients. Also the communication with their lab technicians is great.”
Read Full Review
“I love this quality.”
Read Full Review
“Very good service, recommended and attentive I am very grateful to the dental doctor who treated my dental problems very successfully and helped me regain my beautiful smile.”
Read Full Review
“I have been using Burbank Dental Lab for several years now and am continually impressed with the quality of their work and their customer service! Everyone that works there is...
Read Full Review
“Burbank Dental Lab has been my go-to lab for all my esthetic cases for the last 10 years! So when it came to this case for a good friend, I...
Read Full Review
“I am very impressed with the attention to detail and easy communication. I use Burbank Dental Lab even though I’m on the east coast because the results are always predictably...
Read Full Review
“I have been a client of Burbank Dental for over 20 years. Everyone from the phone operators to the techs to management is wonderful and friendly. I have done a...
Read Full Review
“I have been using Burbank Lab for over 30 years and recommend them highly. The owner Tony is a stand-up guy with a ton of integrity and a mensch. The...
Read Full Review
“When I want something done right, I send it to Burbank. After experiencing inconsistent quality from my previous lab partners, Burbank was highly recommended by a colleague so I gave...
Read Full Review
“We have used Burbank Dental Lab for more than 20 years. They have great customer service, great products. Will recommend them to any dental office.”
Read Full Review
“After experiencing a decline in quality and communication from our previous lab we decided to give Burbank a try based on the recommendation of several business associates. The service from...
Read Full Review
“I am a Heartland dentist in Texas and I have been looking for a comprehensive lab that I could use for implants, removable, and fixed. I discovered Burbank a few...
Read Full Review
“Delivery time was excellent! The fit of the screw retained implant crown including emergence profile, contacts, seating, and occlusion were perfect. Didn’t do anything but seat it and torque the...
Read Full Review
“Absolutely gorgeous and high-quality maxillary zirconia hybrid on Ti-bases. Their lab followed my prescription exactly. Their technicians have amazing talent. Thank you, Burbank!”
Read Full Review
“We were looking for a lab that could accept our digital scans and produce high-quality centric-relation nightguards for patients. Burbank Dental Lab was recommended by a dental school classmate. We...
Read Full Review
Burbank Dental Lab has far exceeded all of my expectations, and has fully delivered top tier prosthodontic work. What sets this lab apart from others is the constant communication. When...
Read Full Review
“This lab provides restorative dentists with excellent technical support and high-quality lab work at reasonable fees. Their restorations are consistently excellent both from a functional and esthetic standpoint.”
Read Full Review
“High quality dental lab with years of experience. Very professional service and results are second to none. Whether its cosmetic work, implant work, or digital, Burbank has their act together....
Read Full Review
“In 25 years practicing dentistry I have not delivered a better full mouth rehabilitation crowns and bridge case like the one I did today. Aesthetics, fitting, contact, and occlusion was...
Read Full Review
“I have been using Burbank for a while now. They are the only lab I’ve worked with who delivers consistently superior results. Their esthetic and implant work is second to...
Read Full Review
“Full Arch fixed prosthetic cases go extremely smoothly with Burbank Dental Lab and their imetric photogrammetry in-office workflow. Highly recommend this workflow for anyone doing full Arch cases. Working with...
Read Full Review
“Amazing service and quality, they’re so helpful. Thanks to Andrew, George, and Frank.”
Read Full Review
“Great Dental Lab for removable and crown and bridge. Amazing customer service. Vince and Dmitri are very accommodating and will ALWAYS work with you. Their product is top notch!” (click...
Read Full Review
Hi Tony, hope you’re well. I’ve sent you a before and after case of a #8 old PFM replacement – single tooth next to natural #9. (Click for photo). Also...
Read Full Review
5-Star Google Rating – Thank you Elgin, we appreciate your 5-star Google rating!
Read Full Review
“Just wanted to let you all know that I retired a few years ago but I sincerely appreciated both the help and especially the great quality of the work you...
Read Full Review
Muhammad, thank you for your 5-star Google rating – we appreciate it!
Read Full Review
“The implant department at Burbank is amazing! They have delivered casework that has exceeded my expectations and our patients are thrilled! We switched from a local lab to Burbank; our...
Read Full Review
“We’ve been using this lab for a few years now and we are very happy. Excellent customer service, very kind billing staff and work is always well done. Every time...
Read Full Review
“Burbank Dental Lab has provided us with many years of high-quality work, timely service and friendly staff. Our thanks, from all of us at Westlake Dental Associates.”
Read Full Review
“Fantastic case! I just dropped these two implant abutment/crowns in and they were perfect! Thank you!” MARGINS: Excellent CONTACTS: Excellent CONTOUR: Excellent OCCLUSION: Excellent FIT: Excellent SHADE: Excellent ESTHETICS: Excellent...
Read Full Review
This case is the case where you sent me the samples of the acrylics for a patient who is very sensitive to different chemicals, etc. She wore each sample disc...
Read Full Review
“What an amazing lab to work with. Each person I have encountered has been amazing. From Joel and Kenny to Laura in Accounting to Tony himself. The crowns go in...
Read Full Review
“We have used this lab for 18 months. They have proven to be very patient and customer-centric. They produce some really nice work and are easy to work with. Cases...
Read Full Review
“Vincent and Karen are the best! I worked with Vincent on a full mouth rehab case. Everything turned out great and the patient is very happy. Working with Vincent made...
Read Full Review
“They were great to work with and went out of their way to make sure we received our lab case the very same day. Holly even volunteered to come personally...
Read Full Review
“Burbank Dental Lab is our most trusted dental lab for all of our dental work. They are extremely reliable and deliver exceptional products. They are always available for questions and...
Read Full Review
“They have done a great job with everything that I have needed them to do and they stand behind their work.”
Read Full Review
“Amazing lab! The work always comes back in a timely manner and is beautiful! Marissa is who we are lucky enough to have help us with our cases and she...
Read Full Review
“Very nice case! This patient was very happy. My only adjustment was to reduce the excess in the ovate pontic area that was overdone.” MARGINS: Excellent CONTACTS: Excellent CONTOUR: Excellent...
Read Full Review
“Great look with the pink porcelain! Excellent case.” MARGINS: Excellent CONTACTS: Excellent CONTOUR: Excellent OCCLUSION: Excellent FIT: Excellent SHADE: Excellent ESTHETICS: Excellent SERVICE: Excellent
Read Full Review
“I absolutely love this lab, very quick, beautiful work, and very professional. Marissa is so much help, and has answers every single time! Wouldn’t use anyone else!”
Read Full Review
“For more than 5 years I have sent my removable lab work to Burbank Dental Laboratory. I delivered a new FUD and new mandibular distal extension RPD with a locator...
Read Full Review
“Exceptional work. Family owned and it shows – excellent customer service start to finish. Cannot highly enough recommend.”
Read Full Review
“Implant abutment and crown – this case was great! Thank you! The pink porcelain looked great where the gingival margins needed to be leveled.” MARGINS: Excellent CONTACTS: Excellent CONTOUR: Excellent...
Read Full Review
“Perfect case! I didn’t have to adjust a thing! Thank you!” MARGINS: Excellent CONTACTS: Excellent CONTOUR: Excellent OCCLUSION: Excellent FIT: Excellent SHADE: Excellent ESTHETICS: Excellent SERVICE: Excellent
Read Full Review
“This lab has done beautiful work. Their communication is excellent, and they deliver on-time. Thank you so much.”
Read Full Review
“Great crown! Just had a very minor touch. Thank you!” MARGINS: Excellent CONTACTS: Excellent CONTOUR: Excellent OCCLUSION: Excellent FIT: Excellent SHADE: Excellent ESTHETICS: Excellent SERVICE: Excellent
Read Full Review
“Another great case that dropped right in! Thank you!” MARGINS: Excellent CONTACTS: Excellent CONTOUR: Excellent OCCLUSION: Excellent FIT: Excellent SHADE: Excellent ESTHETICS: Excellent SERVICE: Excellent
Read Full Review
“This was the first crown I inserted since we talked about the contacts being tight. This crown was PERFECT!!! Absolutely no adjustments were needed! This was one of those “throw...
Read Full Review
“As a new customer to Burbank Dental Lab, I was pleasantly surprised at the interest the staff expressed for the INDIVIDUAL needs of my patients. As an academic, my ideal...
Read Full Review
“Great lab and team! I am only as good as my lab and you guys make me look great every day of the week. Burbank has been my lab for...
Read Full Review
“Burbank is an excellent lab! It is one of the most high-tech operations in the country and I have visited many of them. Tony, Andrew, and the entire team have...
Read Full Review
“Amazing lab and even more amazing service, top notch work every time!”
Read Full Review
Best darn Dental Lab anywhere!
Read Full Review
“I have been a client of Burbank Dental Lab for about 30 years. In this period of time I have seen this lab invest an amazing amount of time and...
Read Full Review
Thank you Joel for an excellent job. What I really love about Joel and Vincent from Burbank Lab is that 1. They listen to the instructions and follow them. 2....
Read Full Review
“Thank you Joel for an excellent job. What I really love about Joel and Vincent from Burbank Lab is that: 1. They listen to the instructions and follow them. 2....
Read Full Review
“Just completed a maxillary Prettau Zirconium bridge on 5 implants and am very pleased with the service, the attention to detail, and the communication skills of this lab, in particular...
Read Full Review
“This lab has done beautiful work. Their communication is excellent, and they deliver on-time. Thank you so much!”
Read Full Review
This dental lab is world renowned for high quality of their crown and bridgework. I especially appreciate their expertise in implant castings. I happen to work with a couple of...
Read Full Review
