Quick Reference Guide for Dental Assistants
This guide is intended to not only provide a means of easier and more effective communication,
but to outline the materials and procedures that we need in order to produce the lifelike, esthetics restoration that your patient desires.
WAX TRY-INS
What to check at try-in to help your doctor
1. With denture(s) inserted, observe the effects of the denture form on the contours of the lips and cheeks.
2. Study the lip for excessive closure or for excessive bulging of the area under the nose due to overcontour of the denture flanges.
3. Direct the patient to slightly open the mouth and study the relation of the maxillary incisors to the lip. Generally, 1 mm of tooth should be visible below the lower border of the relaxed lip.
4. Direct the patient to smile and study the high lip line. A minimum of denture base should be visible.
5. Check the midline. If it is not correct, mark it in the wax portion of the trial denture.
6. Direct the patient to make contact with his/her teeth lightly in centric occlusion. Look for any tilting movement caused by premature contact. If there is premature contact, its cause needs to be isolated with articulating paper. (If the interference is of great magnitude, the bite must be registered so that we can remount the case and reset the teeth.)
7. Test for phonetics, especially “S”, “F” and “Th” sounds.
8. Report your findings to the lab. If we need to reset teeth because a new bite was taken, we HIGHLY recommend a second try-in to confirm correct placement. Applicable charges will apply if changes are made after processing.
SAME DAY CASES
1. In the printable version of this guide, there is a chart of materials and procedures we will need from you before your case is sent to us. If you are unsure of what we will need, and it is not included on this list, please call us before your patient leaves your clinic.
2. Some cases involving broken cast frameworks/broken metal will need to be sent to our metal department in order to have the broken area welded with a laser welder. This will increase turnaround time and cost, making it usually more beneficial to fabricate a brand new framework.
3. Particularly complicated repairs, addition of multiple teeth to denture/partial or cast clasp additions may require more than Same Day Return will allow. We will contact you if such an occurrence arises.
PRESCRIPTION FORMS
There are several things that need to be included with each case, some of which can delay production when not included.
1. Doctor’s Name - We certainly would not want to bill the wrong doctor!
2. Patient Name - It is extremely difficult to track your cases in our lab without this piece of identifying information.
3. Restoration - Boxes are provided for you. Simply check the applicable box.
4. Shade - This is the piece of information that delays production in about 95% of all cases that come through our lab.
5. Return Date - If your patient is scheduled for a return appointment, please enter it here WITH the appointment time. If your patient is NOT scheduled, please note this as well. If anything concerning the appointment date and/or time changes during production, please call us to convey this information.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
Immediate Cases
Cast Partials
1. We highly recommend that an acrylic treatment partial be made and worn for at least six weeks before models are sent to our metal department to have a cast framework made. This will allow the patient’s gums to heal enough to promote a smooth insertion of a metal RPD.
2. If you decide to forego the acrylic treatment partial, we recommend that you advise the patient that relining will be necessary once their gums have healed.
Dentures
1. If possible, take an impression prior to any extractions so that we can set the denture teeth in a manner that mimics the patient’s natural dentition.
2. We can provide a wax try-in with denture teeth set around natural dentition in order to verify the correct VDO (vertical dimension of occlusion).
Impressions
We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to treat alginate impressions with care. They will produce accurate working models if all necessary precautions are followed to the “T”.
Things to check before pouring models:
1. Are there voids in critical areas?2. Is the impression tray showing through?3. Is there any indication that impression has been allowed to sit for too long? (i.e. impression material pulling away from tray, cracks in impression material)Things to Remember
1. Sitting an impression on a workbench, tabletop, etc., will distort the impression.
2. Immersing the impression in water causes the material to expand and distort, making it unusable.
3. Allowing the impression to remain in a dry environment will cause the material to shrink, making it unusable.
4. Alginate impressions should be poured within 15 minutes of their removal from the patient’s mouth. If this is not possible, please wrap impression in wet paper towel and place in plastic bag until we arrive to pick up the impression or until there is time to pour the model.
This guide is available in a printable version. You will need Acrobat Reader to open and print this document. Acrobat Reader can be downloaded at no cost to you - simply click on the link below.
