The fabrication of a set of complete dentures is a challenge for any dentist/denturist. There are many axioms in the production of dentures that must be understood; ignorance of one axiom can lead to failure of the denture. In the vast majority of cases, complete dentures should be comfortable soon after insertion, although almost always at least two adjustment visits are necessary to remove the cause of sore spots. One of the most critical aspects of dentures is that the impression of the denture must be perfectly made and used with perfect technique to make an accurate model of the patient's edentulous (toothless) gums. The dentist or denturist must use a process called border molding to ensure that the denture flanges are properly extended. An array of problems may occur if the final impression of the denture is not made properly. It takes considerable patience and experience for a dentist to know how to make a denture, and for this reason it may be in the patient's best interest to seek a specialist, either a prosthodontist or denturist, to make the denture. A denturist is a trained and licensed professional who sees patients in need of dentures, partials, relines or repairs. A denturist not only takes the impression, but makes the entire denture in his or her own laboratory. The denturist then schedules a date for the delivery of the finished dentures to the patient. A general dentist may do a good job making dentures, but only if he or she is meticulous and experienced. Many dentists no longer make dentures themselves. but instead take an impression of the patients' mouth and then either send the impressions to a dental laboratory, which could be anywhere in the world, or send the patient to a denturist. Once the laboratory receives dental impressions of the patient's mouth, the laboratory creates plaster molds from them. The laboratory uses the molds to create the wax rims used to register the patient's bite. These wax rims are returned to the dentist, who uses them to register the patient's bite. The dentist may assist the patient in choosing the correct size of teeth for the dentures, or simply make the selection himself. Once bite registration is completed and the teeth are selected for the dentures, the wax rim is usually returned to the dental laboratory in order to have the denture teeth set into the wax. Once the teeth are set into the wax rim, the result is a prefinished denture that looks almost like the finished product. This prefinished denture is usually returned to the dentist's office and the patient usually has a chance to approve the setup (for immediate or standard dentures) or to try the denture before it is finished. After approval by the patient, the dentist returns the pre-denture to the laboratory for final processing. The finished denture is then returned to the dentist's office for delivery to the patient.
On my 3rd visit back to readjust my partial...I was going to a wedding and the Dr. wanted me to come back in to make sure it fit. The girl who took care of me (short curly auburn/reddish hair said the partial could not be adjust. I told her the Dr. adjusted it last week for me. Then she said: "well, you are just going to have to learn to adjust it yourself at home in a mean, stern voice.
BEWARE: I have purchased the most expensive denture offered called the "Ultimate Fit Package". Upper denture only at $1200.00. This is my experience in this office. I went in for my first visit at Affordable Dentures in Shelbyville, with Dr. Marvo **, in October 2017. My upper teeth had already been extracted 2 months earlier at a local dentist office in Lewisburg. I spent a lot of time researching all of the available options online at Affordable Dentures in Shelbyville, TN., before contacting them to set up an appointment. I purposely chose the "Ultimate Fit Denture" because it was supposed to fit every contour of my mouth, the oral topography was touted as being "second-to-none" plus it comes with a 7 year warranty.
Later that afternoon I came back to have 16 teeth extracted. I got to the office and waited about 30 minutes before I was seen. I got to the back and began injections. After this I went to a full blown panic attack and came close to passing out. The one positive is the dentist who was working on me took it in stride. I wasn't treated disrespectfully and after about 30 minutes the panic subsided and she was able to finish my injections and begin pulling teeth.
