Things You Didn't Know About Custom Dental Trays

If you’re getting removable dentures—whether it’s just a few teeth or a whole set—your dentist will have you come in to take dental impressions. A lot of folks think one impression is all it takes to make the dentures, but actually, dentists usually need two. The first one’s called the preliminary impression, and it’s used to make a custom tray. The second impression, taken with that custom tray, is the final impression—that’s the one they use to make your dentures.

Custom trays are called that because they’re made just for you, unlike stock trays. Stock trays are one-size-fits-all; they use the same tray for every patient. That’s okay for most people, but if you’re missing a ton of teeth—like all your back teeth on both sides, or even every tooth in your mouth—stock trays just aren’t precise enough.

Everyone knows that getting a good impression is the key to a great set of removable dentures. The saying “A precise preliminary impression is half the battle” is all about making that custom tray, and it’s not an overstatement at all. A custom tray is basically a tray that’s made to fit your mouth’s exact shape—like a custom pair of shoes, no two are the same. The main point of it is to get a more accurate fit. Since it’s made based on your jaw’s shape, how your gums feel, where your remaining teeth are and what they look like, and where your lip and cheek strings attach, it’s way more precise, so the impression it takes is spot-on.

When your dentist takes the final impression with the custom tray, they’ll do something called muscle functional shaping. This helps them figure out exactly how far the denture should go when you move your mouth muscles, which makes the denture fit better and stay put. Also, because the custom tray fits your gums so well, it’s way more comfortable—you won’t feel as yucky or nauseous while they’re taking the impression.