Seokchon-dong Dental Clinic, 연세다감치과: Why You Should Carefully Review the Denture-Making Steps · Process from the Beginning

Hello.

Seokchon-dong Dental Clinic, 연세다감치과

I am Dr. Ho-yeon Seo.

In my previous post,

I explained which criteria we check first before making dentures,

using the case of a patient who visited us because their existing dentures did not fit well.

In brief,

we first check the shape of the gums with a preliminary impression

and then make a custom tray

suited to the patient.

After taking the final impression,

we used a wax rim to examine

the height and occlusal plane when the mouth was closed,

as well as the balance of the side profile.

Today, I will continue by explaining

the next step:

how the final dentures are completed.

After establishing and checking

the height and occlusal criteria for the dentures in the previous step,

we can preview how they will look once the actual teeth are placed.

We check how much of the teeth is visible when smiling,

whether the position of the front teeth suits the center of the face,

and whether anything looks awkward when the upper and lower teeth come together.

In this patient’s case,

when we checked the initial arrangement,

we determined that it would be better to adjust the midline slightly further.

We therefore sent it back to the dental laboratory

and revised the midline and tooth arrangement.

In dentures, the midline can be understood

as the reference line between the central front teeth.

If this line deviates significantly from the center of the face,

the teeth may appear shifted to one side,

or the mouth may look awkward when smiling.

However, a person’s face is rarely completely symmetrical.

Therefore, rather than matching everything precisely as if measured with a ruler,

it is important to find a natural-looking reference

by considering the patient’s facial center, lip movement,

and the position where the teeth appear when smiling together.

We completed the final dentures

by applying the revised criteria.

Seokchon-dong Dental Clinic, 연세다감치과

When wearing the existing dentures,

the upper denture came down easily,

and the teeth looked awkward when the patient spoke or smiled.

When making the new dentures, we looked not only at whether they fit well inside the mouth,

but also at the position where the teeth appeared when speaking and smiling

and the shape around the mouth.

When we placed the final dentures in the mouth and checked them,

the most noticeable difference was in the side profile.

When wearing the existing dentures,

the upper area was not sufficiently supported,

so the lower jaw appeared relatively more prominent when viewed from the side.

The patient said, “The dentures do not fit well,”

but upon examination, we found that the height of the dentures

and the position of the front teeth were also affecting the overall facial impression.

For the new dentures, we adjusted the position of the upper front teeth

and the thickness of the dentures

so that the area around the mouth would look less sunken than before.

As you can also see in the photographs,

the balance of the face appeared more comfortable in the side profile than before.

There was also a difference when viewed from the front.

When using the existing dentures,

the teeth did not appear neatly aligned,

and the position where the teeth showed when smiling

also looked awkward.

With the final dentures, we readjusted the position and arrangement of the visible teeth,

and confirmed that the appearance when smiling had also changed from before.

In addition, the artificial teeth for the upper denture

were selected so that their color and translucency

would blend naturally with the remaining teeth.

In this case as well,

we considered it more important to assess

whether the teeth harmonized with the face

when actually placed in the mouth

than to look at the shape of the teeth by themselves.

As you can also see in the photographs,

the color and translucency of the teeth blended well overall,

and the dentures were finished so that they would not look overly artificial.

Dentures are not sufficient simply because they look good.

Seokchon-dong Dental Clinic, 연세다감치과

Because dentures are appliances that rest on the gums,

they should not move excessively during use,

and there should be minimal discomfort when chewing or speaking.

They should also look natural when you smile.

Therefore, when making dentures,

we need to check each step carefully,

from the initial impression and height verification

to midline adjustment, artificial tooth arrangement,

and final placement.

As I mentioned in the previous post,

if the initial criteria are not properly established,

it is often difficult to achieve a comfortable fit

no matter how much adjustment is made at the end.

The result shown here was also possible to complete naturally

because the criteria were established first

during the preliminary impression and wax rim stages.

Of course, the time required to make dentures may vary

depending on the condition of the gums,

the condition of the remaining teeth,

and the extent of adjustment needed.

What matters is not finishing quickly,

but adjusting them in a way that minimizes discomfort

when the patient actually uses them.

If your dentures keep falling out,

move while you chew,

or feel awkward when you speak or smile,

old age may not be the only cause.

Continuing to use ill-fitting dentures

may put pressure on or irritate the gums,

which can also cause pain.

If you are experiencing discomfort, rather than simply putting up with it,

please first check whether your current dentures fit your gums properly

and whether the height and position of the teeth are right for you.

At Seokchon-dong Dental Clinic, 연세다감치과,

we proceed by checking each necessary aspect one by one,

from the initial impression to the final placement

when making dentures.

In addition to dentures,

we also organize various treatment cases on our blog,

including implants, prosthetic treatment, and cosmetic treatment.

If there is anything you are curious about,

please feel free to refer to our other posts as well.

Have a wonderful day today, too. ^^

[Naver Appointment Booking]

[연세다감치과 Website]

[연세다감치과 KakaoTalk Consultation Channel]

Seokchon-dong Dental Clinic, 연세다감치과