Fitting
Dentures typically are made by a cosmetic dentist to replace missing teeth and surrounding tissue. Dentures are removable and usually are made from resin and porcelain. Standard dentures are made to fit just behind the hard bone on the roof of the mouth to hold them in place. In the dentist's office x-rays are taken and a plaster mold impression is made of the upper and lower gums. Once the molds are made, the patient returns to adjust the mold and set the parameters for the teeth. With the mold sitting in the mouth, a dentist can decide how long or short to make each tooth. A wax rim model is made of the proposed teeth. The actual teeth sitting in a wax mold are returned to the dental office and the patient has one more chance to make adjustments.
Dental lab work
Dental laboratories work closely with dentists to provide the best fit and look for both full and partial dentures. Most dentists do not have a laboratory that makes dentures on the premises and must work with outside contractors. Dental technicians at Phoenix Frames report that each denture is custom-made utilizing craftsmanship and technology. The dentist sends the molds and color choices to the lab from which a metal framework is made utilizing additional casts and molds. Plastic, porcelain and acrylic teeth and gums are fitted over the framework and sent back to the dentist for installation.
Duplicates
Duplicate dentures can be made easily in a dental office where a mold is made from agar, a gelatin-like substance that is made from liquid seaweed and becomes a hard rubbery substance when dry. The agar is pored over the dentures in two pieces, upper and lower, after they are removed from the patient's mouth. Once the mold is hardened, the original denture is removed from the agar mold, which is then filled with liquid plastic. Pink coloring is added to the parts of the denture that mimic the gums and white plastic is used for the teeth. The liquid plastic hardens and is removed. According to Dr. Martin S. Spiller, dentists often make duplicate dentures for patients to take with them to use in case of emergency and they lose or break their dentures or to use when their original dentures need to be returned to a lab for adjustments. Duplicates are not measured and cropped for a perfect fit.
