FAQs

No referral is required to attend Denture Care Clinic; we work with you to take care of your denture needs. Click here for appointment. – See more at:

Yes. Denture care Clinic is registered with all major health funds. Using our HiCaps facility, patients are able access their health fund benefit electronically. – See more at:

Yes, but it is not necessary as we can deal with you directly.

Due to the relationships we have established, Denture Care Clinic is able to make appropriate referrals depending on your needs and requirements.

A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth. Complete dentures replace all the teeth, while partial dentures fill the spaces made by missing teeth, restoring function and preventing other teeth from changing position.

Candidates for complete dentures have lost all or most of their teeth. Partial dentures are suitable for those who have some of their natural teeth remaining. Well-made dentures improve chewing ability, support facial muscles and enhance your appearance and smile.

The base is made of specialised acrylic material into which denture teeth are bonded. Are made from hardened cross-linked acrylic. New advances in technology have recently seen the introduction of composite hybrid denture teeth onto the market to cater for the extra strength and wear capacity required by implant-retained dentures. Complete dentures can be reinforced with cast metal reinforcement for those who suffer from frequent broken denture bases.

• Partial dentures are made in multiple ways. Following a comprehensive examination our clinician will discuss the denture most appropriate for your circumstances.
• An acrylic base (plastic) with hand wrought wire clips
• A precision cast metal (CrCo, Gold or titanium) framework with artificial teeth bonded to it using acrylic.
• A flexible nylon base (Velplast, Dentsply FRS) with mechanically bonded artificial teeth Hybrid denture of a cast metal base and flexible material.

Usually between 5 and 6 appointments are required. Some clinics may offer dentures in as few as 3 appointments. However, with our focus on quality, we have found that compressing the stages in creating your denture offers no advantage. We make no apology for taking the time needed to deliver dentures that offer comfort, function and put a smile on your face.

In the case of complete dentures they generally need to be replaced after 6 to 8 years. This is due to the supporting bone and gums continuing to shrink away and the denture teeth themselves wearing. Wear and poor fit can change the way dentures bite together, causing them to feel loose and potentially hastening bone loss. It is important to keep your dentures well maintained.

The simple answer is bone loss; a process called resorption. Following an extraction, the bone that once supported the teeth starts to shrink away. This process is ongoing through a denture wearer’s life. The fitting surface of the denture doesn’t change much over time, rather the supporting tissues (bone and gum) shrink away. Poorly fitting dentures can cause the bone to shrink away at a faster rate.

Complete lower dentures are a source of concern for many denture patients. The reasons for lower denture

Instability are complex. Some of these reasons are listed below. Lower dentures are harder (more difficult) to secure, because unlike an upper denture, suction is not possible with a lower denture. The denture bearing area is smaller than the upper jaw and continues to decrease over time due to bone loss called resorbtion. The lower ridge has movable tissue (tongue and cheek) with flexible muscle attachments impinging on the denture bearing area. Accurate recording of the maximum denture bearing boundary is essential for lower denture stability. An over extension of the denture base due to an inaccurate impression technique, will result in a denture that moves about as the muscles move during talking and eating.

When dentures meet in a non-harmonious manner, the lower denture tends to slide over the tissues till the dentures meet evenly, causing instability and discomfort. Recording the relationship between the upper jaw and the lower jaw is complex due to the nature of the joint being both double hinged and having the ability to slide forward and side to side. Accurate recording of your jaw relationship (bite) is essential for a stable lower denture.

Denture teeth wear flatter with use. This wear, combined with changes in the size of the lower jaw due to resorbtion, causes changes in the relationship of the upper and lower dentures. This change in how the dentures bite together results in the lower denture becoming unstable, with the lower denture sliding over the tissues as described above. Worn out dentures are a very common cause of lower denture instability.

We recommend that upper and lower dentures be made as a set for best results. It is not always possible to make half a set. Upper and lower denture teeth are manufactured as a set and are engineered to go together. Setting worn upper teeth against new lower teeth into a relationship that works during eating is difficult.

When teeth are missing, it is normal for the shape of the gums and the bone supporting the teeth to gradually change over time (bone resorbtion) causing dentures to become loose. Ill-fitting dentures rub and move over the supporting tissues, causing the supporting tissues to shrink away even faster. To reline a denture, an impression is taken in the denture of its fitting surfaces. The denture is then relined with new material exactly replicating the impression fitting surface.

Relines replace the tissue lost due to gum shrinkage (resorbtion). They not only return accurate fit but maintain the relationship between the opposing denture teeth, which is essential for stable dentures.

In cases of severely resorbed lower ridges, a soft reline can sometimes be used. In these cases, a soft siliconized material is bonded to the fitting surface of the denture. Many people find that this offers increased comfort. A consultation with Denture Care Clinic staff can determine if a soft reline would be of assistance.

Sometimes! If your dentures are relatively new it is frequently possible to reline the fitting surface for improved fit and stability. However, if your teeth are worn, your mouth has changed a lot or the bite relationship of your current dentures is inaccurate, a reline is unlikely to help as it only corrects fit against the tissues of your mouth. A thorough examination of your dentures and tissues will determine if a reline will be beneficial.

Unfortunately yes, but not for too long. Denture Care Clinic, same day reline service means that if you drop them to us in the morning, we will have them back to you in the afternoon, relined and fitting well once again.

Besides checking your dentures, denture professionals will also check for signs of oral cancer and other diseases, and examine your gum ridges, tongue and jaw joints. If any concerns are noticed, Denture care Staff can arrange the appropriate medical or dental referral.

Drugs, including over the counter medications can reduce the amount of saliva in your mouth adversely affecting denture fit and comfort. A saliva substitute may be recommended for increased comfort. Please inform Metro West staff of any medications you are taking.

Unfortunately patients sometimes cause irreparable damage when trying to do self-repairs to their dentures. It is preferable and probably cheaper to place all parts in a sealed bag and contact us to make an appointment.

For booked appointments most dentures can be repaired in around an hour. Contact us for an appointment.

Special attention must be paid to cleanliness to remove food debris, bacteria and stains. Failure to do this can cause the gums to become inflamed and bad breath may develop.

Dentures should be removed and cleaned after each meal where possible. At a minimum, a daily routine of cleaning and soaking is recommended.

We recommend that dentures be cleaned over a basin containing water to minimize any damage if dropped. Firstly, every surface of the denture should be brushed to remove food particles. We recommend you use a denture toothbrush and a non-abrasive cleaner (denture cream, dish washing liquid) for this purpose. Following this, soaking with proprietary brand denture tables will freshen up the dentures and remove any stale taste. Do not use very hot water as this may cause your denture to warp. Always rinse the denture to remove any residual cleaner before use.

Do not use toothpaste, as is abrasive and will cause the surface to scratch, harbouring bacteria and causing bad breath.

Your denture can be professionally cleaned and polished at Denture care Clinic.

It is important to remember that you get what you pay for. Your denture is expected to service you for 24 hours of every day and last for many years, so it is imperative that the highest quality materials and techniques are used.

Costs will vary depending on the service required and the type of denture chosen. Our costs reflect the value of the time taken in providing the treatment as well as the techniques and materials used in their construction. We recommend that our patients purchase the best denture they can comfortably afford.

Staff at Denture Care Clinic will provide a quote prior to commencement of treatment.

Not directly, if correctly made and maintained. However it is not uncommon to see patients who have been wearing dentures well past their replacement date who have developed ear and joint disorders. These typically manifest as ear pain and tinnitus. The dentures frequently have worn biting surfaces and are poorly fitting, resulting in what is called an accommodated bite. This is where a patient moves their jaws to a position where the dentures meet best without causing pain or discomfort. This accommodated bite can stress the temporomandibular joint and over time cause severe discomfort. The construction of new dentures, which restore the bite to a natural position, can alleviate this problem. For a comprehensive assessment, call Denture Care Clinic to arrange an appointment.