Something "OLD" Something "NEW"
F.Spiva Jr. CDT MDT CD
Revised Copyright:2009
When it comes to dental appliances some things never change and what your about to read is one of those issues that never changes. The risk you run in attempting to create a NEW dental appliance that will work 100% with and against an "OLD" dental appliance is a high risk.
Without a doubt the first two things that cross your mind when going to the Dentist or Denturist office is "Will it hurt?" and "How much will it cost?"....One thing I can assure you is that there will be no pain in the Denturists office...I have been asked by unknowing people, "What is a Denturists?" and my usual response is, "unlike a Dentist, we don't drill and fill or squirt and jerk"...and in at least 90% of the time the fees for our services will be 50% less than the Dentist for the same services, meaning the cost of a dental appliance. All other issues will be basically the same, meaning how well the dental appliance you purchase will work. The only difference there will be that the Denturist is an especially qualified and trained specialist in the various techniques in creating dental appliances with his or her own hands. Dentists are not provided that in-depth training in dental school and must rely on the services of a commercial dental technician to hands on create the dental appliances he or she sells to you and their other patients.
Now, having gotten that out of the way let's move on. When you find yourself in the position of having to replace an old dental appliance, or in some cases get a new appliance, and it will have to work with an existing older one, you may face a decision as to whether to keep or replace the older appliance. The issue becomes two fold, how old is the existing appliance and how worn are the chewing surfaces. When the chewing surfaces are considerably worn down, that creates the issue of has the reduction in height, due to the wearing down, over closed the jaw relationship, and two, are the surfaces so worn that the new teeth on a new opposing appliance will have to be drastically ground down in an attempt to make them work properly against the worn surfaces of the older appliance.
When new denture teeth are ground and reshaped in an attempt to match up against existing older worn denture teeth, the outcome is usually marginal at best. Denture teeth are specifically created to match surfaces one with the other, meaning Upper against Lower, while working together to provide the maximum ability to chew and support facial tissues. It is all but impossible to create a perfect match between old and new. While the financial issues may dictate that only a new appliance is possible and the older one must be left in place, the workable success between the two can usually be achieved to at least a level that provides acceptable if not a perfect solution.
When and if you should be faced with the New vs Old decision, you need to first and foremost ascertain to what extent, if any, would keeping an older appliance affect the jaw alignment and facial tissue support, such as the cheeks and lips. It's not usually possible to make a new appliance restore vertical jaw support by extending the length of the new teeth. Nine times out of ten the results will be an overly toothy appearance, if it works at all. Protecting the jaw joint is of paramount concern when creating dental appliances....regardless of appearance desires, protecting the jaw joint and oral tissues while creating a proper ability to chew must be your first priority.
Finally let me say that when money is the deciding factor, everyone knows and understands that what may seem the very very best, we may have to settle for what appears to be second best. You however, may not have to settle for second best because of money issues. There are way's to finance the dental services you need. One such current place is a company called "Care Credit"..with a minimum down payment they will finance the balance for a year interest free. Then of course, there is the "Out Patient Clinic" of your nearest Dental School. The clinic can provide the services you need and the fee will be between Free and very low, depending on your financial status....If you go to a Denturist for your dental appliance needs, as I said, the total fee will be about 50% less than your Dentist...After all the Denturist doesn't have to add in overhead for all the equipment and supplies required to perform services that have nothing to do with dental appliances. Regardless of who you decide to go to, please go to one or the other at the first sign that you are having dental problems. The quicker you deal with them the less cost and discomfort you will experience. On average a denture or partial denture will provide the full function intended for a period of five to seven years. After that period denture can become seriously worn down and the fit not as perfect as it should be. Ignoring a dental appliance that should be replaced can result in both loss of proper facial appearance and most important jaw joint damage. Seldom ever does an old dental appliance give you a noticeable warning such as pain. You should get a dental appliance check up every year just as you would with natural teeth. We find that many very serious health issues, such as Oral Cancer is seldom discovered because someone complained of pain in the mouth, they are usually discovered through a visual examination by a health professional.
If you have questions or comments please feel free to respond on this site, or Email me at: thedenturepro@aol.com
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