FAQ

It’s pretty simple to take your own dental impressions. Each impression kit will include step-by-step instructions on how to take your own impressions, but if you find that you need further assistance, we have a video tutorial for your convenience or you can always schedule a video conference call with one of our friendly dental technicians.

Dental offices typically outsource their work to dental laboratories such as Direct2Lab. By cutting the middleman, you’re able to cash in some savings.

Yes, we manufacture the same quality dental products as you would receive from your regular dentist, but without the costly markup.

Over-the-counter products can be purchased for a lower price than Direct2Lab because they are mass-produced and not custom-made for your mouth. A cheap over-the-counter product will never fit as well or last as long. Sometimes, they may even cause more problems than solutions.

Usually, we recommend ordering an upper nightguard, as they tend to be more comfortable. When deciding, please consider the following: Do you have any loose teeth, severely worn teeth, braces, or any dental health issues on a particular arch? If you do, we recommend the opposite arch.

Hard/soft night guard: Our most popular guard is the hard/soft night guard combo. It has a soft inner material that rests comfortably against your teeth and a hard, durable outer layer providing excellent protection and durability.

Hard: This is our most durable guard, a great choice when strength is your major concern.

Soft: The most comfortable guard, however susceptible to faster wear. Recommended for minor clenching.

There are many different options when it comes to partial dentures. Each partial denture has its own unique purpose and, for that reason, we’ve listed some differences and important facts for each type of partial denture. We recommend you read through them to make sure you purchase the type that makes the most sense for your situation.

Stayplate/flipper - These are considered temporary partial dentures. They are usually recommended if you plan to have more teeth extracted in the near future, get implants, or recently had extractions. It is not recommended to be used when eating. Stayplates or flippers may or may not have metal clasps for retention. The body of this type of partial is made completely out of acrylic.

Valplast/flexible denture - These are considered permanent or long-term dentures. They are recommended if you do not plan on extracting additional teeth. Flexible dentures do not have metal clasps and are, therefore, more aesthetic. Their clasps are made from a flexible thermoplastic material that flexes when heated. Valplast dentures are currently considered “unrepairable” (they are repairable, but once repaired, they are not as strong). Unfortunately, this type of denture can NOT be relined in the future.

Metal framework partial - These are considered permanent or long-term dentures. The body of these dentures is made from cast metal and is considered the most durable among all partial dentures. This type of denture is repairable. Additional teeth can be added by welding them onto the denture. The framework of this denture can be used again if you’d like to change the acrylic and teeth in the future, and this type of denture can be relined or tightened. This type of partial has metal clasps.

Combination Partial - These are considered permanent or long-term dentures. The body of these dentures is made from cast metal and is considered the most durable among all partial dentures. This type of denture is convenient and natural-looking since it combines the aesthetic flexible clasps of a standard flexible/Valplast denture with the durability of standard framework dentures. This type of denture is partly repairable. Additional teeth can be added by welding them onto the denture. The framework of this denture can be used again if you’d like to change the acrylic and teeth in the future.

The process will take approximately 2-3 weeks to complete. The impression kit is shipped out in 3-5 business days with either USPS Priority Mail or FedEx 2-day. It then takes 10-14 days for the lab to make your appliance from the time we receive your impressions.

Lab Hours

Monday – Friday: 9AM – 6PM (PST)

Saturday – Sunday: Closed

Customer Service Hours

Monday – Friday: 8AM – 5PM (PST)

Saturday – Sunday: 8AM – 5PM (PST)

Virtual Video Assistance Hours

Monday – Tuesday: 9AM – 3PM (PST)

Wednesday – Friday: 5PM – 1AM (PST)

Saturday – Sunday: Closed

Flippers or stayplates are not designed to be used when eating but many people still do. If you eat with your flipper or stayplate in, this will affect the longevity of the denture.

A flipper/stayplate is considered to be a temporary or transitional denture. Its lifespan is typically 6 months to a year, but various factors such as recent extractions and/or how the denture is used (eating ice vs bread) can alter their longevity.

Remove your denture before you go to bed and clean it daily. Dentures need to stay moist to retain their original shape, so place them in a glass of water or denture-soaking solution overnight.

The general rule of thumb is indicated by your height.

For 5’4″ and shorter = Small Tray

For 5’5″ to 6’1″ = Medium Tray

For 6’2″ and taller = Large Tray

Most people will require a medium-sized tray, but you can also measure the edges of your mouth with a string and measure the string with a ruler for more precision. See the measurements above when deciding on which sized tray you’d like.

Yes, we accept adjustments as long as you contact us within 5 days of receiving your purchased item.

Yes, you can make a denture/take an impression before extractions, but it is not advisable. Taking impressions before extractions and removing the teeth from the cast is considered an “immediate denture”. Immediate dentures require us (the laboratory technicians) to guess your extraction site; thus, the fit of the denture is not exact. Due to the nature of an immediate denture, we cannot honor a warranty for this type of case.