Short answer
A complete denture replaces every tooth in an arch and is made in stages: we mount the casts with your bite record, set the teeth in wax and process the base in acrylic resin. A try-in of the wax setup is agreed when the case is opened. An immediate denture is made before the extractions and inserted right after.
What it is
A removable prosthesis that replaces every tooth in an arch and the associated structures. In the lab it goes through three stages: mounting the casts on the articulator with your bite record, setting the teeth in wax, and processing, where the wax is replaced by the acrylic base.
An immediate denture follows the same path with one difference. It is made before the extractions, on a cast that still has the teeth, and goes in right after surgery.
When to prescribe it
A conventional complete denture is the option for an edentulous arch when the plan doesn’t include implants, or before they are placed. Setup and processing are separate services in our catalog. A try-in of the wax setup, to adjust tooth position, vertical dimension and esthetics before anything is processed, is agreed when the case is opened.
An immediate denture fits patients who should not go through a period without teeth. It also acts as a splint over the surgical site, which helps with hemostasis and healing. The trade-off is fit: as the ridge remodels, the denture may need a reline, and the anterior teeth cannot be tried in beforehand.
How we make it
Complete dentures are set up and processed in our lab in São Paulo, Brazil, following the marks on the occlusion rims. For an immediate denture, trimming the teeth to be extracted off the cast follows your instructions, since you know the bone condition in each area; a try-in, when agreed, comes before processing. Every stage is validated and logged, and you follow its phase in the portal.
What to send
The essentials are in our case submission guide and, for shade, our guide on how to communicate shade. For a complete denture, the setup follows the occlusion rims: the midline, smile line and canine position marked on them are the references we use to place the teeth.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order just the wax setup?
Yes. Setup and processing are separate services in our catalog. Whether the wax setup comes back to you for a try-in before processing, and how it returns to the lab, is something we'll confirm with you when the case is opened.
Can I try in the anterior teeth on an immediate denture?
No, the natural teeth are still in the mouth. That makes the photo, the shade and your notes on the prescription more important. The literature lists it as one of the drawbacks of immediate dentures, along with the need to reline as the ridge remodels.
When should an immediate denture be relined?
You judge that at the follow-up visits. After extractions the bone remodels and the base loses its fit. A reline resurfaces the intaglio with new base material to restore adaptation to the ridge.
Sources
- The Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms 2023, tenth edition · The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry (2023)
- Prosthodontic rehabilitation and follow-up using maxillary complete conventional immediate denture · Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dentistry (2020)