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An easy method of trimming artificial teeth

Zafrulla Khan, D. D. S. * University of Louisville, School of Dentistry, Louisville, Ky

Often, artificial teeth must be reduced to facilitate their placement on a complete or removable partial denture trial denture base. Reduction on the ridge lap facilitates

tooth placement for proper lip support, esthetics, and setting teeth over the crest of the ridge posteriorly. Usually, the tooth is held between the fingers and rarely can it be

reduced without either cutting the finger or loosening the grip on the tooth. The following technique makes reduc- tion easier.

Remove the teeth from the manufacturer’s card, and clean the wax from the surface to be trimmed. Replace the teeth on the card, with the labial surfaces of the anterior teeth or the occlusal surfaces of the posterior teeth in the wax. Holding the card rather than an individual tooth,

trim the teeth using a handpiece or lathe (Figs. 1

and 2).

Reprint requsts to: DR. ZAFRULLA KHAN UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY bX,ISVILLE, KY 40232

*Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics.

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Fig. 1. Posterior tooth is repositioned on the card For

reduction.

Fig. 2. Anterior tooth positioned for reduction.

572 MAY 1981 VOLUME 45 NUMBER 5 0022-3913/&l/050572 + 01$00.10/O@ 1981 The C. V. Mosby Co.