Meet Timothy Buckell, our full time on site dental prosthetist. Tim has a wealth of experience on which to draw from in order to deliver you outstanding dentures. Kilmore Dental & Specialist Centre was also designed so that it could house an on site dental laboratory. The beauty of this is that a lot of work can be turned around faster – this means shorter waits between dental impressions and fittings and getting the denture you need. It also enables direct communication between Tim and our lab technician Arif leading to high quality results. Arif is a Kilmore local and is hard at work full time in our lab to assist Tim in making fantastic dentures.
If you’re looking for implant retained dentures (dentures held in tight by fixed dental implants) check out our implant page.
Full Dentures
Complete upper (Maxillary) and or lower (Mandibular) dentures are for those of us that have had all our teeth removed on both or either arch. Some people will have natural teeth left on either arch and may only have a full upper to natural lower teeth or any other combination to suit their specific needs.
I would like a new full denture, what happens now?
At Kilmore Dental and Specialist Centre consultations with our Dental Prosthetist, Tim, are always free and he will tailor a treatment plan to suit your individual needs. During this consultation, Tim will assess your mouth, listen to what your desired outcome is, discuss any possible challenges that may arise and provide you with an obligation free quote.
Once we proceed, you will have several visits where we will take the time to design the denture specifically for you. Tim, along with our highly trained Dental Technician will set the teeth in a wax base so you can see the dentures before we finish them. This provides you with an important opportunity to further customise the appearance if there are any changes to shape, tooth placement, lip support, or colour that you’d like to modify. We will only finish your denture once you are happy with the appearance and Tim has confirmed that your bite is lining up in the correct position.
As with a lot of new things, such as shoes, there will be a wearing in period after you have taken your new dentures home and given them a good work out. You may experience some discomfort especially while eating. We encourage you to attend your post treatment visit so adjustments can be made to the dentures to improve their comfort. Sometimes more than one adjustment is needed, and this is all inclusive in your treatment fee.
All dentures are made in our on-site lab by our Dental Prosthetist and highly trained and qualified Dental Technician meaning shorter treatment times and highest quality.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if your mouth is sore! Quite often it only takes a small adjustment to ease pressure and make your mouth comfortable.
Call us on (03) 5781 1059 to book your free consultation with Tim.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are when you need one or more natural teeth replaced. These dentures come in many different base types such as metal cobalt chromium alloy (silver), acrylic (pink), flexible material (pink) or a combination of both metal and flexible. Different base types will suit different situations in different people’s mouths. During your free consultation with our Dental Prosthetist Tim, we will assess and discuss which option is best for you.
What is a metal partial?
Our 3D sintered (Printed) metal denture bases are made from an alloy of chromium and cobalt. Your metal partial is designed by Tim to suit your individual needs. Metal frameworks are usually the best choice for comfort, strength and longevity if your teeth are in good condition. Need a tooth out and have a metal partial? Never fear! We can have extra components laser welded to the base to add another tooth if needed and it can usually be done in a day.
And what about an acrylic?
Metal partials are not for everyone though and acrylic dentures are a great option when used for the right case. Acrylic dentures have a pink base that is slightly thicker which it needs for strength, however, is very easily modified if natural teeth need to be removed and denture teeth added and can sometimes be converted into a full plate. Stainless Steel wires are expertly hand bent to the contours of your natural teeth to help hold the denture in.
And a flexible?
Flexible partial dentures can be another great option especially if you do not like the appearance of metal clasps. Flexis can give us a great aesthetic result when used in the right circumstances however they do have shortcomings that Tim will discuss with you during your consultation. They can be an excellent option if you are having an implant to replace a tooth as a temporary but aesthetically pleasing and minimalist denture. One downside is the material used for flexible partials is different from acrylic partials and is unable to be repaired or modified as easily.
Call us on (03) 5781 1059 to book your free consultation with Tim.
Immediate Dentures
Full, Partial, Temporary Acrylic or Suck-down
Sometimes our teeth have reached the end of their time and need to be removed, this is where immediate dentures come in. An immediate denture can be a full or partial denture that replaces a tooth or multiple teeth the same day they are extracted. Depending on the treatment sometimes we will recommend a temporary denture or suck-down that will allow the sockets to heal before continuing treatment.
I think an immediate denture might be an option for me, what happens now?
First, you can either book a consultation with Dental Prosthetist, Tim, or one of our dentists to assess your mouth and discuss options. If you see a dentist first at KDSC, Tim is often available to come to their room and walk you through these options saving you an extra appointment. Usually an OPG (Panoramic X-Ray, which is usually free as it can be fully claimed through Medicare) is taken to see what is happening under the gums so we can tailor a treatment plan to your specific needs.
Once a date is set for the extractions you may have several appointments with Tim to have impressions (moulds) taken of your mouth, record your bite and discuss options regarding aesthetics. One of the down sides to immediate dentures is we can’t try them in with a wax base, so you won’t be able to see them before they are finished. Some people don’t like the appearance of their natural teeth and would like to change the shape or colour of them. It is important to discuss this during these appointments with Tim, before the dentures are complete.
What is a temporary acrylic or suck-down denture?
If you are having an implant or bridge placed after an extraction or there is not enough space for your next course of treatment you may want something to fill the gap while you wait for the next stage. These dentures are designed only to last a shorter period (less than a year) while we are either waiting for an implant to osseo-intergrate (bone to fuse to it) or shrinkage and healing in the gums to occur to allow for more room so a stronger longer lasting denture can be made. Wearing your temporary denture is important to maintain the space between your teeth otherwise there is a chance they will move.
Temporary acrylic dentures, sometimes called “flippers” are often made without any wires around your teeth and sit up against the roof of your mouth. These are a cost-effective way to replace teeth between courses of treatment.
A “suck-down” is a clear sheath, like an orthodontic or Invisalign retainer, that is vacuum formed over a mould of your teeth. The tooth to be removed or replaced is painted onto the inside surface with tooth coloured acrylic to give the appearance of a tooth. Suck-downs are particularly useful when there isn’t enough room, or a bone graft has been placed before an implant and it is important that nothing is placed directly onto the healing gums. While suck-downs can give us a great aesthetic result, they are mostly for appearances only. It is not recommended you eat or drink with them as they are only thin plastic and can distort with heat or crack under the pressures of eating.
Call us on (03) 5781 1059 to book your free consultation with Tim.
Same Day Relines, Soft Liners, Repairs, Additions and Cleaning
The on site lab really comes into play here. Our Dental Prosthetist Tim can offer many denture services that prevent the need for you to be without your denture for more than a few hours. This includes same day Denture Relines, Soft Liners, Repairs, Additions and Cleaning. If your denture suddenly breaks or you need an extracted tooth added to it, we’ll be there to help and get you back in action as soon as possible.
Denture Personalisation
We can also offer personal touches to your dentures such as Gold Inlays & Diamonds. Just ask!