Most people tend to stick to the blanket term “dentists” when referring to oral healthcare professionals, though oral health is actually an extremely broad field that involves dozens of different specialists. These include people like dental surgeons, orthodontists, and even denturists – all working toward the common goal of keeping you healthy.
Otherwise known as denture specialists, denturists are professional dental healthcare providers who primarily treat edentulous patients; meaning that their focus is on the assessment, diagnosis, and subsequent treatment of patients missing some or all their teeth. Unlike other dental specialists, denturists stick to more “mechanical” solutions to dental problems, i.e. physical objects like dentures. What’s more, unlike other types of dental specialists, you don’t need a referral to visit a denturist and these denture specialists are able to cover the entire denture process from beginning to end – from the initial exam to the final fabrication and insertion of a patient’s dentures. Here’s an example of a typical denturist’s process:
- A denturist will first examine a patient and look through both their medical and dental history to determine the appropriate course of action to be taken.
- If the denturist determines that dentures would in fact help, then they’ll take a set of impressions of the patient’s teeth and begin the denture design process.
- Next, the denture specialist takes more accurate measurements of the patient’s teeth, which usually involves the use of wax denture bases to better determine the correct bite and distance between the teeth and the gums.
- From this, the denturist will create a wax denture try-in using teeth set in wax gums for the patient to approve. At this stage, they can also make any necessary changes.
- Once the final look has been approved, the final denture is set and inserted into the patient’s mouth.
Just like a dentist, or a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), denturists also receive specialized training in their field, but specialize in denture production and repair rather than in general dentistry. This doesn’t mean that their work is strictly limited to full or partial dentures, and many denturists also work with denture implants and surgical dentures. Their work also doesn’t stop at the simple fabrication and installation of dentures either, and most will also be qualified to offer ongoing denture care including denture relining, rebasing, and repair. However, as their name implies, denture specialists cannot offer permanent tooth replacement options like dental crowns or dental bridges. Nor can they carry out any possible dental services necessary before denture installation, such as tooth extractions, though they’ll likely be able to refer you to a partnered or preferred dentist to get this done.
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what a denturist is and does. Feel free to get in touch if you have any further questions or are ready to book an appointment with our Calgary denture specialist.
