How to Take Precise Impressions for Comfortable Dentures
A guide on Making Impressions for Comfortable Dentures
Dentures have unfairly earned a bad reputation for being uncomfortable. And while it’s certainly possible to have uncomfortable dentures, it’s something that can be avoided. As we’ve already talked about in a previous article, dental laboratories can now create digital dentures that are both durable and comfortable. And while we have technological advancements to thank for these digital dentures, there’s more to it than just that.
When it comes to making comfortable dentures, very few things are more important than getting precise impressions. And while it may seem easy, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Obtaining accurate dental impressions to create dentures can be quite tricky.
To help you out with this, we’ve put together a brief guide on making precise impressions for comfortable dentures.
Prepare the Patient
The first thing that you’ll want to do is to prepare your patient for the entire process. One of the most important things you’ll have to do is ensure that the chair is in the correct position. Make sure that the patient is upright to prevent any of the impression material from getting into the back of their mouth.
A mistake often made during this procedure is having patients lie down as their teeth’s impressions are being taken. Lying down can affect the orofacial musculature, which leads to less accurate impressions. Handling this part incorrectly will result in dentures that aren’t as precise as the patient needs them to be.
Select a Suitable Impression Tray
After preparing everything, you will have to select a suitable impression tray. Now, this will differ depending on what your patient needs. Some trays require modifications to accommodate any quirks that the patient’s teeth may have. For example, lower impression trays often need wax to extend the borders so that they can accommodate the entire ridge.
Make Use of the Right Impression Material
After selecting the tray, you will have to choose the type of impression material to use. We suggest using alginate, but any impression material will do as long as you use it correctly. To avoid any mistakes, be sure to read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Any deviations from these instructions may lead to complications down the line. When filling the tray with the impression material, be sure to keep it level and avoid overfilling it, as this can hamper the quality of dentures that will be produced.
Take the Master Impression
The last thing you have to do is to get the master impression. This will utilize PVS impression material in the custom tray made for the patient. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions to get the best results and add the impression material into the tray. Before taking the patient’s impressions, be sure that the material is spread evenly in the tray while slightly overlapping at the borders. From there, all that’s left to do is to take the actual impression.
To get the most accurate upper impressions, gently pull the corners of the patient's lips. Lastly, be sure to ask the patients to place their tongue on the roof of their mouth for lower impressions.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this quick guide proves to be useful in shedding some light on the process of making impressions for dentures. As you can see, a lot of work goes into making dentures. While it can get a little tedious at times, the results are worth it as good dentures make patient’s lives infinitely more comfortable and convenient.
About Vitality Technologies
If you want to know more about what it takes to create perfect digital dentures, then Vitality Technologies has got you covered. Our full-service dental laboratory can provide patients with digital dentures as well as fixed prosthetics and implants. Contact us today to find out more about what we do and how we can help you!
