Denture Repair: How a Dentist Can Rebase Your Dentures

Rebasing is an aspect of denture repair that involves replacing the base material on the denture. Normally, you should replace your dentures every five to seven years to ensure proper fitting, function and appearance. Before then, you can have the denture checked every one or two years or go for repairs if damages occur. This article covers how the dentist rebases the denture.

Denture repair: Rebasing

Relining is done simply to improve the denture’s fitting. Rebasing is a more dramatic adjustment that entails retrofitting the dentures by replacing the entire acrylic base with new acrylic. The procedure makes the denture more stable without changing the denture teeth. Denture rebasing is done when the denture teeth have not deteriorated compared to the denture base material. Other reasons that the dentist might recommend denture rebase include:

• Damaged or broken denture
• Weak acrylic base
• Changing the temporary denture to a permanent one

Rebasing a denture practically renews its lifespan. To keep the dentures functioning properly, the process should be done every five to seven years. If the denture no longer fits like before, the dentist might recommend rebasing, especially if relining the denture will not be enough. If the patient soaks the denture in the wrong solution (like bleach), a denture rebase might be necessary.

The process of rebasing a denture

Rebasing a denture is more complicated than relining a denture and may require going without the denture for some time. The dentist will try to speed up the process so patients can get their prosthesis as soon as possible. The rebase readapts the denture to underlying tissues without altering its occlusal relation.

First, the dentist will make an impression with the denture to get a cast. With a Hooper duplicator, the dentist will make an occlusal and incisal index of the teeth. The posts of the lower area of the duplicated are positioned in the upper area to keep the casts still within the plaster index. The denture and the impression material will be taken away from the cast.

Artificial plastic teeth are split from the denture, and the acrylic base material surrounding the teeth is removed. The teeth are positioned and held intact in the index with a sticky wax on the labial and lingual surfaces. The dentist will place a layer of base plate wax on the ridge of the cast. The upper section of the duplicator is closed, and denture teeth are waxed to the desired breadth and contour of the cast.

After removing the cast, the dentist will flask and process it as usual. After that, the cast is replaced over the upper section of the duplicator to correct any occlusal errors. The dentist will ensure proper occlusion of the rebased denture through a clinical remount, which involves remounting the finished denture on an articulator.

In summary

Rebasing can extend the functional lifespan of a denture. It improves denture strength, fitting, appearance and vertical dimension. If you need denture repair, rebase or reline, contact the dental office to discuss your options.

Request an appointment here: https://www.drelloway.com or call Randal S. Elloway DDS, Inc at (530) 527-6777 for an appointment in our Red Bluff office.

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