FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR WAGGA DENTURE CLINIC

A dental prosthetist is an oral healthcare professional who as a qualified dental technician completed further extensive training and is registered to consult patients directly.  A dental prosthetist is an independent practitioner registered (with the Dental Board of Australia) to undertake treatment for manufacture, repair and maintenance of complete dentures, partial dentures, and mouthguards.  A dental prosthetist may also be known as an advanced/clinical dental technician or denturist.

No, a referral is not necessary to see a dental prosthetist.  In some circumstances general practitioners or dentists may refer patients for treatment.

A denture is a prosthetic device which acts as an artificial substitute for missing natural teeth and adjacent tissue, usually made from an acrylic resin with a possible combination involving other bio-compatible materials such as Chrome Cobalt.  They are generally a removable appliance which may be categorised as either a full or partial denture.

A mouthguard is a sport safety appliance, constructed from a resilient material and is designed to protect teeth, associated tissue and supporting structures from injury because of physical contact.

Effective cleaning of dentures is highly recommended along with pro-active oral hygiene.

We cannot understate the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene for the health and wellbeing of a denture wearer.  The elderly and those with a chronic or complex medical condition are more susceptible to the effects of poor oral health.

Clean dentures using a denture brush and mild gel type soap to remove all plaque and food debris.  Use warm water (not hot) to help clear away the soap.  We strongly recommend not using tooth or denture pastes as in our experience these contain abrasives which polish away acrylic denture materials.  To protect dentures carefully support the denture without excessive force, cleaning over a hand basin half filled with water or over a soft towel is recommended, not in the shower.  To give your dentures that fresh spearmint flavour, simply smear a little toothpaste over your dentures and rinse, but don’t physically clean with toothpaste.

We choose and recommend Dr Marks HyGenie products which you can view by visiting his website which is at: https://drmarkshygenie.com/ 

In most cases broken or damaged dentures can be repaired.  Carefully rinse off the denture and to prevent losing any pieces, it is always a good idea to place these pieces in an envelope or plastic bag.  Repairing a denture, yourself using adhesives like superglue or epoxy can lead to serious problems; and should not be attempted.  Leave this work to the experts; there have been many times a perfectly good denture has been ruined through failed attempts at DIY.

A reline is simply the procedure involving the replacement of the denture’s fitting surface to improve the accuracy of fit.  After teeth are extracted a natural process of tissue resorption occurs in the mouth.  The level and extent of resorption vary between individuals and are influenced by various factors.