The “cornerstone” of our dentures, whether full or partial, fixed or removable, is functional occlusion. Few labs today combine great esthetics with true functional occlusion. We do.
All available indications are taken into consideration including: the clinician’s instructions, the patient’s natural dentition, arch sizes, relative jaw position, bite information, and (sometimes) facebow or functional arch-tracing information, as well as a host of other indications. We strategically combine these indications with knowledgeable and highly-experienced workmanship to fabricate what we believe are some of the industry’s best dentures.
Understanding that people don’t want to wear dentures and that they are forced to by missing dentition, we endeavour to make their life with dentures as comfortable and functional as possible.
Once completed, every denture is re-verified to have been completed as per your instructions, and to fit and function optimally before being delivered.
Tools – If you would like to take a facebow bite record but have been dissuaded from doing so in the past, we have the tools and the expertise to help. You may borrow one of our facebows and/or articulators, or send your facebow with or without your articulator. We are experts with most semi and fully adjustable articulators. We own, and routinely work with, the following articulator systems:
Whip mix® – models 3000 and 8500; Ivoclar™ – Stratos model 200©; Hanau™ – models 96H2 & Wide-Vue; Denar® – models D5a, Mark II & Mark 320; AMANNGIRRBACH – Artex® model CT.
At Vitallab, we use SR Vivodent® S PE denture teeth. It is a distinctive tooth with exceptional design and characterization. The PE (pearl effect) layers and high shade intensity impart a very lifelike appearance. SR Vivodent® S PE teeth are made entirely of highly cross-linked DCL polymer (Double Cross-Linked). This material displays a higher compressive strength but a similar flexibility to that of conventional PMMA. As a result, S PE teeth can be used in all indications including Complete, Partial and Implant Cases.
It has never been easier to educate the benefits of a premium Denture with the Morethanadenture.ca consumer website. It is a great resource to inform Patients of their removable options and help promote premium dentures.
At Vitallab, we also use a variety of Dentsply Sirona products, including Genios®, Portrait® IPN, TruExpression™, for our denture teeth options. Find out more about these products at www.dentsplysirona.com.
ULTRAflex® partial denture
Fabricated from Astron Dental’s ULTRAflex® denture base resin, and using premium denture teeth, these partial dentures can be made without metal clasps. The denture base material is adapted to the natural teeth
to create retention like a nylon partial denture; however, unlike nylon, ULTRAflex® is repairable.
These partial dentures look great, are comfortable, and have very high patient acceptance. We can also use ULTRAflex® resin to finish the saddle areas on cast partial dentures, thereby eliminating the metal clasps patients dislike.
Acrylic denture
Full or partial, fixed or removable, our acrylic
dentures are always fabricated following our “cornerstone” design philosophy.
We use Lucitone 199® denture base resin. Our acrylic dentures come with premium denture teeth for all but our temporary dentures. Our full dentures are mounted on semi-adjustable articulators, significantly improving the function of the final denture when compared to the industry-wide and common standard hinge articulator used by many labs. After fully evaluating your instructions and your patient’s case, we select and arrange the teeth in the most aesthetic arrangement possible, always in the most functional occlusion possible.
Cast partial denture (metal frame partial denture) – (vitallab product of choice)
While these dentures have been routinely referred to as “cast” partial dentures, the fact is they are far more hi-tech. Vitallab was among the earliest to supply digital custom Cr/Co Selective Laser Melted (SLM) printed, partial denture frameworks.
Our frames are individually designed following our traditional specifications. However, instead of a surveyor or other manual tools formerly used, we now use a 3D scanner and a computer screen to design the same frame in easily controlled and highly accurate dental design software.
Despite the traditional casting misnomer, our frames are digitally 3D printed using selective laser melting (SLM) of a biocompatible Cr/Co dental alloy.
Having historically produced prototypes, followed by several years designing and supplying these digital partial denture frames, we rarely “cast” a frame anymore. Our technicians are happy to no longer see the inherent problems resulting from the traditional casting process. We believe 3D SLM printed frames are better than “cast” frames for many reasons.
With biocompatibility, equal to cast frames, custom cad/cam SLM produced frames are more accurate, better fitting, and less resistant to fatigue than a perfectly cast frame, as shown in a recent McGill University study. (References available on request)
After our printed frames are cleaned, fitted, and polished, we follow our usual “cornerstone” design philosophy using materials among the industry’s best to complete the custom digital, partial denture fabrication.
Custom tray
Our custom trays are fabricated from a hard resin with built-in provisions to help mechanically retain the impression material to be used. Each tray is designed based on the type of impression being taken. When sending an impression or model for custom tray fabrication, please include the intended purpose for which the final impression will be taken e.g. partial denture, crown & bridge, implant pick-up or transfer type impression for any of our large variety of fixed or removable implant options.
If you require implant components (e.g. impression copings), or tools (e.g. screwdrivers) to be supplied with the custom tray, please include the surgery report from the surgeon who placed the implants. This report contains the hardware information required to supply the proper components and/or tools.
Occlusal rim
Our occlusal record bases are made to your specifications or to standard dental criteria. We use a hard resin base and wax for most occlusal rims, however, there are criteria for wax-based occlusal rims. When requesting an occlusal rim please include the planned prosthesis as well as any other relevant indications such as: facebow information, immediate or recent extractions, or the arch tracing hardware (if required). Always helpful is the inclusion of a treatment plan, however curtailed.
Denture repairs and relines
Our simple acrylic denture repairs and relines are completed and returned to you the following day or as requested. Same day repairs and relines are available. Our repairs and additions always incorporate the necessary prosthetic support. Unlike many labs, we choose not to solder, which readily oxidizes in the oral environment. Our metal repairs and additions are laser welded with a material similar to the parent metal. This practice resists oxidation and is considerably stronger. We use a cold cure, denture acrylic suitable for use in the oral cavity. Our repairs and relines can also be done using Lucitone 199® denture base resin, which requires extra time for the heat cure processing.
