Flexibles - Damaging factors

[araucaria]

Looking for insight into peoples experiences of damage to flexibles - esp Valplast. What are the most likely causes for the patient to alter the polished surfaces? Recently experienced a situation where the patient has somehow removed the palate polish on an upper partial within a few days from new. (They swear they're doing nothing wrong, and following instructions on cleaning & maintenance)

 

[JKraver]

Sandpaper? Brillow pad? Abrasive toothpaste.

 

[JMN]

I'd go with JKraver's toothpaste
but... may be they didn't wash off their seafood well and the sand abraded it severly

 

[Doris A]

Soaking it in bleach? I can't tell you how many dentures that I've seen over the years that were completely white from the patient soaking them in bleach to disinfect them.

 

[araucaria]

The denture quoted in the OP is totally matt finish now over the whole of the palate, but the labial flange surfaces are still high gloss. I've wondered if the patient chews on a pen all day perhaps, or is just a vigorous brusher.

 

[JMN]

The denture quoted in the OP is totally matt finish now over the whole of the palate, but the labial flange surfaces are still high gloss. I've wondered if the patient chews on a pen all day perhaps, or is just a vigorous brusher.

That puts a different light on the question for certain. This isn't something being done on purpose. so ...

Ice Chewer? The flanges would be protected by normal mastication functions and the hard sharp ice crystals would be pressed into and all over the palate, scouring it.
My wife chewed ice for years until we found her to be anemic causing the ice pica, an overwhelming urge or compulsion to eat ice.

 

[2thm8kr]

That puts a different light on the question for certain. This isn't something being done on purpose. so ...

Ice Chewer? The flanges would be protected by normal mastication functions and the hard sharp ice crystals would be pressed into and all over the palate, scouring it.
My wife chewed ice for years until we found her to be anemic causing the ice pica, an overwhelming urge or compulsion to eat ice.

Hey, at least she didn't have the dirt pica.......


That's just weird and weird for me to mention weirdness. Wha????

 

[highscore]

Is the patient a smoker?

 

[JKraver]

Is the patient a smoker?

melting the flexi?

 

[XxJamesAxX]

Many things turn these partials white over time, bleaching, smoking, soaking in alcohol based solutions, heavy consumption of alcohol, etc... But to do it in a matter of days has to be as mentioned something very abrasive to the surface going on. My vote is going to be the brushing. They have micro scratched the surface and eliminated the polish/shine and changed the look of the partial.

We tell doctors to use a baby tooth brush around the teeth and to rinse partial thoroughly under faucet before soaking partial to clean it, but to not scrub and of the material.


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[JKraver]

Many things turn these partials white over time, bleaching, smoking, soaking in alcohol based solutions, heavy consumption of alcohol, etc... But to do it in a matter of days has to be as mentioned something very abrasive to the surface going on. My vote is going to be the brushing. They have micro scratched the surface and eliminated the polish/shine and changed the look of the partial.

We tell doctors to use a baby tooth brush around the teeth and to rinse partial thoroughly under faucet before soaking partial to clean it, but to not scrub and of the material.


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Never said the partial was discolored, just matte.

 

[XxJamesAxX]

(They swear they're doing nothing wrong, and following instructions on cleaning & maintenance)

They never do, you know how many dentures I've repaired from a patient that broke them eating a slice of bread. Same ol story everytime...


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[XxJamesAxX]

Never said the partial was discolored, just matte.

Usually they become matte looking and then start turning a whitish color. Give it a little while and they will be... [emoji106]


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[JTG]

That's strange, the flanges are good but the palate is not, I'm going to agree that it must be some kind of abrasion issue. Let us know if you find the cause.

 

[JKraver]

They never do, you know how many dentures I've repaired from a patient that broke them eating a slice of bread. Same ol story everytime...


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Bread is actually one of the only foods you chew with both sides of your mouth at the same time. If there are any occlusion problems.

 

[XxJamesAxX]

Bread is actually one of the only foods you chew with both sides of your mouth at the same time. If there are any occlusion problems.

I guess that depends on the person because I don't, I roll my bread up into little balls the size of a gumball and eat it like my 5 year old...

But how often does a person eat just a slice of bread anymore these days???

Another one we get a lot is salad, was eating some lettuce and it broke. (Most of the time it's teeth coming out when I say broke)

Point is rarely does the patient tell you/office that they dropped it in the sink that morning, or was eating a jolly rancher (we had that one yesterday) when it broke.

It all comes down to cost/money, patients assume we (lab/doctor) will take more responsibility if they make it sounds like it wasn't anything they done. When in fact it doesn't make any difference to us (my lab) we cover it or don't cover it just the same depending on timeline of the case. Generally speaking there is always exceptions.


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[JKraver]

The good ol I barely touched it... with the 5lbs mallet

 

[XxJamesAxX]

The good ol I barely touched it... with the 5lbs mallet

Haha yup


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[gallagerdental]

Should also factor in the embarrassment mode. It's human nature to not want to admit we screwed up and did something that we were told not to do. Like: don't chew on hard candy, ice, or stick in bleach, etc.


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[araucaria]

That's strange, the flanges are good but the palate is not, I'm going to agree that it must be some kind of abrasion issue. Let us know if you find the cause.

Got some feedback today from our distributor, I sent them the denture to examine and to provide a formal written response. Their opinion is that the denture is affected by brushing abrasion primarily, then perhaps a small degree of secondary abrasion from the patients chosen foodstuff - probably well fried chips or other crunchy snack. We'll recommend that they consider reverting back to a chrome plate denture, or change their habits to match the comfort qualities of the flexy denture.