In many cases, dentists ask to add acrylic teeth to the existing dental partials. Today let’s discuss what dentists should prepare for adding acylic teeth to dental partials (or repairing partials/ full dentures).
1. Wrong way for adding teeth to partials
One of our dental offices shipped one partial to us by post. At the same time, the office also sent us a new scan via 3Shape. The office asked to print 3D models, and add acrylic teeth to the existing partial. However, we could not do that, because the partial could not seat on the newly printed models.
Please note that even if the dental office provides nice scans, the existing partials will not seat well on the new 3D printed models or cast stone models.
Explanation: when patients’ wear their partials, the partials are actually pressing gum tissue, which is for better retention. When partials are removed, the gum tissue will expand to their natural form. Therefore, if scans or impressions are taken without the partials being in the patients’ mouth, the partials will not seat well on the models.
2. Correct way for adding teeth to partials
In sucn a case, the correct way is that patients should wear their partials or full dentures. After that, dentists take physical impressions with partials in the patients’ mouths. Please note it should be physical impressions, and dental clinics should ship the physical impressions with the partial inside, so we can cast models with the partial on the model (please check the above picture). After we cast stone models in our lab, the partials will seat perfectly on the models. Then we can add acrylic teeth to the partials.
3. Our further suggestion
In order to be safe, it is best that dentists take another impression. This impression is without the partial in patients’ mouths. This is just in case that we cannot add teeth to the existing partials under some special circumstances, even if the impressions are taken in a right way. With such a new impression, we can at least make a new partial for the patient.
