Why You Should Learn to Love Providing Dentures

Manage patient expectations

Even the very best denture is not going to replace the patient's experience of their natural teeth. If patients are not adequately educated as to the limits of a denture, then they will be disappointed.

Initial clinical records are the foundation of a quality denture

Take the clinical steps to capture ALL of the intra-oral records that will facilitate the best possible denture comfort, function, and esthetics.

1. Take an initial impression to make a custom tray.
2. Take final impression with a custom tray.
   • Border mold custom tray. (Fig. 1)
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   • Make sure that borders are extended into the vestibule, but do not impinge on muscle attachment landmarks.
   • Extend impression to the retro-molar pads on the mandibular, and post-dam area, and Hamular Notch on maxillary.
   • The impression should be taken with a light body impression material to capture all of the details
   • Before final wash impression, remove any areas where the tray kisses through the body impression. (Relieve 1-2 mm )
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3. What are the patient's desires?
4. Patient's present complaints - It is essential to understand what problems you are trying to solve.
5. Examination and evaluation of the current denture.
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Consider adding these tools to your denture tool belt:

• Massad or Edent denture trays.   (Fig. 2 Massad Trays)
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• Ivoclar Centric Tray denture system - the Centric Tray is utilized to determine the precise dimensions of the patient's occlusal position.
  (Fig. 3)
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• Ivoclar Gnathometer

* I will cover many of these tools in a future article dedicated to the use of advanced denture record-taking.

Work with a lab that can deliver the best possible denture

Work closely with a dental lab that knows how to use the records that you provide to fabricate an accurate well-fitting denture.  Make sure that the dental lab uses advanced denture materials and processing techniques that will give you the most reliable and durable results.