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How do I adjust, finish, and polish an Apex Flex partial at delivery?

Because Apex Flex partials are built from a digital design and a digital scan, adjustments at seating should be none to minimal. When adjustment is needed, the governing rule is simple: adjust and re-polish at low speed.

Any adjusted surface must be re-polished back to a high shine. A glossy surface resists plaque and staining and reduces micro-cracking, so leaving a matte or scuffed area after an adjustment shortens the life of the appliance.

Full polishing protocol

Step Tool Media Technique
1. Smoothen Lab handpiece Abrasive wheel or carbide burr Low RPM. Remove stumps left from supports and make a full pass along the occlusion
2. Refine Dental lathe, black bristle wheel B27/B29 Resilience polish Polish should be wet but not runny. Medium pressure, low speed
3. Reach tight areas Lab handpiece, Robinson #11 wheel Tripoli Rouge Target hard-to-reach places and interproximal surfaces
4. High shine Dental lathe, cotton buff wheel Ivoclar Vivadent Universal Polishing Paste Use a fresh wheel, full pressure, low speed, all surfaces
5. Condition Gloved finger Mineral oil Dip and smear across the denture surface
6. Remove residue Lab handpiece, new Robinson #11 wheel None Medium to heavy pressure through all interproximal areas until the denture is shiny

⚠️ Critical technique note: Do not let the polishing wheel dry out, and polish at low speed. This warning is repeated at every polishing stage in the manufacturer workflow. A dry wheel at high speed generates heat that can damage a flexible resin surface.

Final cleaning and delivery

  1. Remove residual mineral oil by brushing the denture by hand, using a steamer, or rinsing with water.
  2. Dry with compressed air and/or a blue shop towel.
  3. Disinfect, then place the denture.

Additional chairside guidance

  • Verify a passive path of insertion before evaluating retention. A partial that binds on an undercut will feel tight rather than retentive.
  • If a patient reports a specific sore spot, check for inadequate relief over a frenum or an area of movable mucosa before adjusting the intaglio broadly.
  • Keep adjustments conservative at the clasp base. Thinning the clasp where it meets the flange makes the arm whippy and shortens its service life.

 

Additional Resources

For more information concerning the LOCATOR Overdenture:

Contact Information

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