Dental patients have different oral health needs and preferences for dental appliances. Patients may be missing most or all of their teeth, have tooth stains, or have misaligned teeth. Mabel Dental is a dental lab that works with dentists and other dental labs to provide customized appliances for their patients and clients. Here are several steps involved in customizing dental appliances for specific needs:
Patient Consultation
During a patient consultation, dentists determine patients’ dental health needs and decide if the patient is a good candidate for a dental appliance. Some dental appliances, such as partial dentures, require that the patient has a sufficient amount of teeth to hold the denture in place. If the patient qualifies for a dental appliance, talk with them about their preferences for their dental appliance.
Mabel Dental provides partial dentures with metal frames and non-metal and flexible options. We also offer full dentures. An option for a patient who has experienced bone resorption is implant overdentures, which use implants to keep the dentures in place. We are also an approved provider of Snap-On Smile®, which snaps over the patient’s teeth without covering the palate.
Physical or Digital Impressions
Taking impressions provides you with a copy of the patient’s mouth and teeth. Using an intraoral scanner provides a digital model of the mouth. Labs use physical or digital impressions of the patient’s mouth to create a custom fit for the appliance. This helps make the appliance more comfortable for the patient and offers a more secure fit, allowing the patient to talk and eat more easily.
We provide downloadable prescription forms for dental offices or our dental lab partners to fill out. These are customized for our products and services. Filling out the Rx form helps prevent production delays and allows us to make sure that the appliance meets your specifications. When sending physical molds, bites, or impressions to Mabel Dental, pack them in foam or bubble wrap and include the signed Rx form. Pour alginate impressions ahead of time to prevent distortion during the shipping process. Shipping labels can be printed from our website. We also provide a courier service to most locations in Ohio. You can send digital scans directly to Mabel Dental through your intraoral scanner. You can also upload or email the STL files. We accept digital files until 4 p.m. on weekdays.
Custom Models and Molds
Labs create traditional handmade sculptures or 3D models to check the fit of the appliance. Mabel Dental uses intraoral scans or scanned files from the impressions and bites to make a digital model. A selection of base options is available to customize the model further. We can also print precise work models for labs or dentists.
Fabrication processes differ depending on the appliance type. To create teeth for a partial denture, we create replications of the patient’s missing teeth. We then create a mold of the sculpture, which allows us to cast the appliance. When creating custom appliances such as dentures, we assess factors such as the patient’s gender, face shape, and tooth form.
Color Matching
Dental labs can customize an oral appliance by color-matching the patient’s natural teeth and skin tones. This allows the dental appliance to blend with the patient’s gums and remaining teeth and create the effect of natural tissue and teeth. The denture bases Mabel Dental uses are available in four different shades, ranging from light pink to dark pink. We use teeth that mimic the translucency of natural teeth.
Trial Fitting
When the appliance is finished, the lab sends a wax replica of the device to their client for a trial fitting. During an appointment, the patient can try the replica to test the bite and overall feel and function of the device. A properly fitting appliance should not shift while the patient is eating or speaking, as this could cause sores. The lab can remove extra material if needed to create a proper fit. We will smooth and polish the appliance to make it as comfortable as possible before sending it to your practice for a final fitting.
Work With a Dental Lab for Custom Appliances
Mabel Dental Lab is based in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and we offer our services to our Smile Partners nationwide. Our services include removable devices such as custom mouthguards, night guards, and orthodontic appliances. We also provide replacement and repair services to confirm your patients have access to high-quality oral appliances. We prioritize consistency, quality, and timely delivery for our dental restoration products. This allows our clients to lower chair time for their patients. A list of turnaround times for our different dental appliances is available on our website. We also provide rush services for an additional fee. To learn more about our dental lab and custom dental appliances, we invite you to call us or fill out our online contact form today.
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