What is the clinical workflow and how many appointments are required?

Traditional dentures follow a conventional, reset-inclusive sequence. ROE estimates 5 patient visits with reset and 8 lab days of in-lab production. The core in-lab process across the line is bite block, then wax try-in, then reset, then seat. The exact chairside path depends on the patient's starting point, and ROE publishes three downloadable workflows that apply to traditional dentures. Each is summarized below.

A) Edentulous Patient, Conventional Workflow (the classic full-denture path)

This is the path for a patient with no existing prosthesis to reference. It begins with custom-tray records and proceeds through bite-block verification before the final.

1. Capture records for a custom tray. Use an IOS scan of upper, lower, and bite, or a physical impression and bite.
2. Receive the custom tray from ROE. Confirm it fits and extends to all necessary areas, apply impression material, seat, and have the patient perform functional movements to border-mold accurately. Send to the lab to fabricate bite rims.
3. Place the bite block. Adjust for tooth length, proper lip support, and midline; mark the smile line and canine positions; set vertical dimension using facial measurements. Gently heat and contour the wax rim to the arch form, adjust height for lip support and occlusal plane, and refine the surface.
4. Seat in the mouth; have the patient perform functional movements and end in the final bite position. If the bite block doesn't fit, perform a PVS reline and seat against the tissue.
5. Take patient photos with the patient standing: full-face full-smile, full-face exaggerated smile, and optional full-face profile.
6. Ship the bite blocks to ROE, or optionally capture a 360° extraoral scan of the bite blocks with a CBCT or IOS scanner.
7. Optionally proceed to a printed or wax try-in before the final.
8. Seat the new denture.

B) Patient with Reference (Existing) Denture, duplicating or improving an existing prosthesis

1. Take standing patient photos (full smile, exaggerated smile, optional profile).
2. If needed, perform a hard reline/wash of the existing denture with PVS for a closer fit, trimming excess around the flanges, facial, and buccal.
3. To restore teeth and VDO, capture the opposing and bite with the denture seated. Use an IOS scan of denture teeth, opposing, and bite, or a physical impression and bite.
4. Capture a 360° extraoral scan of the denture by CBCT (denture on foam or cotton rolls, never directly on a hard radiopaque surface) or IOS (verify no holes or stitching errors).
5. Upload files and complete the Rx; annotate any changes (shade, wear, etc.).
6. Seat the new denture.

C) Immediate Denture Patient, for patients with teeth planned for extraction

1. Take standing patient photos (full smile, exaggerated smile, optional profile).
2. Capture upper and lower impressions and bite (IOS or physical).
3. Send records to ROE and complete the Rx.
4. Seat the new denture after the teeth are extracted.
5. If the denture does not seat, either perform a post-healing reline or remake using the "Patient with Reference Denture" protocol.

Required records summary

Across these workflows, the records ROE generally needs are listed below.

Prerequisite for CBCT scanning

If using the CBCT method to scan an existing denture, the denture must not have a soft reline or any soft flanges.

Additional Resources

For more information concerning the digital dentures:

• Traditional Dentures product page
• Removable Solutions eBook

Contact Information

For help with a digital denture solution for your next case, contact ROE Dental Laboratory:

• Phone: (216) 663-2233
• Email: info@roedentallab.com