Repair and Duplicate Old Dentures

Mr. Xia (78 years old) has several old dentures (Fig.1,2 O).  One of the denture (fake) teeth is broken (^, upper right lateral incisor) at the same place of every one of his old dentures.  The denture in the middle of Fig.1 was used to take impression to be sent to the lab for repair (R, with addition of a new false tooth ^) and for duplication for a new denture (D). 

Let us turn these dentures up 90 degrees so that we can see the bite surfaces of them (Fig.3).  The denture on the most left hand side is the old one with discoloration.  The one in the middle has just got a tooth back (>).  The denture on the most right hand side is supposed to be the exactly duplicated one to the one in the middle, but we have made a smart change.  One of the premolars (*) has been moved outside so that it is finally in the line of dental arch.  Anyway, the denture on the right hand side has more rounded and smooth arch outline.

When Mr. Xia wears the repaired denture (without the change in position of the premolar), he looks like still missing one tooth, but on the side (Fig.4 arrowhead).  With the proper change, Mr. Xia looks handsome with the new denture (Fig.6).

Fig.5 shows the tissue surface of these three dentures.  The color of the repaired denture has improved a lot, as compared to the old one.  The duplicated denture looks the best (shiny).

Xin Wei, DDS, PhD, MS 1st edition 07/09/2013, last revision 07/09/2013