Denture Try-Ins

Denture on an articulator with teeth set in wax

A denture try-in is an extremely important phase of denture construction. One must start with a perfect reproduction of the gums obtained by taking an extremely accurate impression. The resulting models made from the mold are mounted on an articulator, a machine that is used to reproduce jaw movement. At this point, a lab technician sets the denture teeth into a wax base that will represent the gum portion of the finished denture. Now comes the try-in phase. The first thing that is checked is the bite. The denture teeth must meet the same way natural teeth do, so it is of utmost importance that a proper bite is verified before the dentures are constructed. Next comes the cosmetics. The dentist checks for the proper alignment of the front teeth to make sure that the patient has a great smile. The patient is then given a mirror so that they can approve the shape and color of the teeth. Since the teeth are set in wax, changes can be readily made by merely heating the wax and resetting the teeth. The patient is then instructed to say a few words to make certain that they will be able to properly speak with the dentures in. Lastly, the far extent of the hard palate is measured to make certain that the denture will not protrude too far to the back of the mouth. The denture is now ready to send to the lab for construction of the final product.