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A denturist is a dental professional who creates and fits dentures. In Edmonton denturists are the main provider of dentures. This is somewhat different from the American system in which dentists create and fit dentures, and only five states allow denturists to have independent practices. Under Canadian health rules, denturists can maintain clinics and operate independent of a dentist throughout the country. While the services they are allowed to provide are slightly different in each province, and some operate in conjunction with a dentist's practice, they are the primary source for dentures. In many cases, they serve as a primary health care provider and also provide other dental services. Denture Making and Fitting Edmonton denturists are authorized to examine patients and to determine what kind of dentures or prostheses they need. Sometimes patients will need a full set of dentures, for example, when they have no natural teeth of their own. Other patients might want to keep some of their natural teeth, but will require partial dentures. Edmonton denturists can make dentures that replace one or more teeth. However, partial dentures must be supported by a natural tooth. Most Edmonton denturists have their own dental labs in which they create the dentures from resins and other materials. They also adjust and repair dentures, including relining, which is usually done every five years. Basically, the job of the denturist is to make prosthetic teeth as comfortable, painless and functional as they can be. Related Services Although most senior citizens get their prosthetic teeth from denturists, these professionals are also very experienced in dealing with patients of all ages. One popular service is fitting and creating dental mouth guards for athletes. With their well-stocked dental labs and high level of skill in achieving proper fit and occlusion, they are the obvious source for these oral devices. Additionally, they are also very well qualified to fit and create other devices that alter the placement of the teeth, such as anti-bruxism (teeth grinding) guards, and airway guards that prevent snoring by keeping the jaw in a fixed position. Edmonton denturists can also perform tray-based tooth whitening and bleaching treatments. What They Don't Do Denturists don't do any type of oral surgery and they don't pull teeth, even in preparation for dentures. They are also limited to working on removable dental prosthetics. This means that they do not make the crowns that are permanently affixed onto dental implants. Furthermore, they do not do teeth cleanings, fill cavities, perform root canals or any other therapeutic treatment of natural teeth, including x-rays. Referrals to Dentists Edmonton denturists can and do perform examinations to make sure that patients are ready to receive dentures. If there are natural teeth that need to be pulled, the denturist can either refer the patient to a dentist for the extraction, or work in conjunction with the dentist to prepare the patient's mouth and jaw. For patients who wish to keep some of their natural teeth, a denturist may provide a referral to a dentist for cleaning, scaling, fillings or root canal. A patient must obtain implants from a dentist or periodontist, even if their purpose is to support partial dentures. However, a denturist can help determine the feasibility of using the natural teeth as supports, and work with a dentist to get the patient's gums and jaws into optimal condition for denture fitting. Referrals to Other Health Care Professionals Depending on the patient's underlying condition, a denturist may refer him or her to a chiropractor or physiotherapist. Sometimes poor occlusion is caused by muscular conditions or injuries that require physical or exercise therapy. For example, extensive bone and muscle loss due to trauma or disease can cause tooth loss or misaligned jaws. Edmonton denturists provide these referrals and more, with the ultimate goal of helping patients wear dentures safely and comfortably.
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