Page 103 - My FlipBook

ARTIFICIAL DENTURES. 9 I

of plate, filling up completely the gap between them to the
edge of the orifice in the main plate, forming, at this point,
a square and well-defined angle to the margins of the
chamber.
Having constructed the base to be used as a support
for the artificial teeth, it is necessary, before arranging the
teeth on the plate, to i. Secure an accurate representation
of all the antagonizing natural teeth. 2. If it is a partial
denture, the plate should now be properly adjusted to the
mouth, and an impression taken with it in position, bringing
the plate away in the impression ; into this a plaster cast
should be run, which upon being separated from the impres-
sion will give an accurate representation of the remaining
natural teeth, with the position of the plate and its relation
to these teeth. 3. If there are enough teeth remaining that
articulate with antag"onizing teeth to act as an accurate
guide, the two casts may now be adjusted and secured in
an articulator. If, however, this cannot be done w^ith an}'-
degree of accuracy, the plate should be removed from the
cast, a rim of softened wax placed upon it at the several
points where the teeth are missing. The plate with the
wax attached is now placed in the mouth and the " bite "
taken in the ordinary manner.* 4. If the case in hand
should be a full denture, upper or lower, the articulation or
bite is in every particular taken in the usual way, except that
the swaged plate is used, instead of the temporary base
plate, to support the wax rim.
Full Lower Base.—If the lower plate is constructed from
a single lamina of gold or other metal, it should be some-
what thicker (about No. 24) than that used in upper cases,
and should also be of finer quality, as the additional thick-
ness of the plate and the peculiar form of the lower jaw
render a greater degree of pliancy necessary in swaging it

* See chapter on " Taking the Bite and Antagonizing the Models.'