A dental flipper is a temporary, removable partial denture designed to fill the space left by one or more missing teeth. Constructed from acrylic, it rests against the palate or gum line. Its primary function is to serve as an aesthetic placeholder while a patient awaits a more permanent replacement, such as an implant or bridge. The flipper also prevents adjacent natural teeth from shifting into the empty space, preserving alignment for the final restoration. This interim solution helps with appearance and basic functions like speaking, but it is not intended for long-term chewing.
Patient Preparation and Initial Appointments
The first phase involves the patient’s initial appointment to gather the precise information the dental laboratory requires. This stage begins with a consultation and assessment to determine the exact location and number of teeth to be replaced.
The dentist takes detailed dental impressions of the patient’s upper and lower arches using a soft material like alginate. These impressions capture the contours of the remaining teeth and gum tissue, ensuring the flipper will fit securely and comfortably. A bite registration is also performed to record how the upper and lower teeth meet (occlusion).
The dental professional selects the appropriate shade and size for the artificial tooth by comparing the patient’s existing natural teeth to a shade guide. This ensures a seamless and natural-looking result. The total chair time for this initial setup is usually brief, often requiring just a single appointment of 30 to 60 minutes. Once collected, the impressions, bite registration, and prescription are sent to the dental laboratory.
The Dental Laboratory Fabrication Phase
The laboratory fabrication phase is where the appliance is physically constructed. The standard turnaround time for a dental laboratory typically ranges from five to ten business days. This timeframe is necessary because the process involves multiple steps requiring precision and specific material curing periods.
Upon receiving the case, a lab technician pours the physical impressions with dental stone, creating highly accurate plaster models of the patient’s mouth. The artificial tooth, matching the prescribed shade, is then carefully positioned onto the model where the natural tooth is missing and held in place with wax.
The model then undergoes a process called flasking, where the wax-and-tooth assembly is encased in plaster. Heating the flask melts the wax, leaving a perfect mold cavity. Pink, gum-colored acrylic resin is then injected into this cavity under pressure, ensuring the material replicates the fine details of the model.
The acrylic material must undergo polymerization, or curing, transforming it from a liquid state into a rigid, durable solid. This curing process takes several hours, and rushing it can compromise the strength and fit of the final appliance. After curing, the technician removes the flipper and begins the final shaping, trimming, and high-shine polishing before shipping it back to the dental office.
Final Delivery and Fitting Adjustments
The final appointment is dedicated to delivering the completed appliance and making necessary adjustments. This stage ensures the flipper functions properly and is comfortable for the patient to wear. The dentist first places the flipper in the patient’s mouth to check the initial fit against the gum line and adjacent teeth.
The bite is assessed to confirm the appliance does not interfere with the patient’s natural closing motion. The fit is designed to be snug for retention, sometimes utilizing small metal clasps or relying on the close adaptation of the acrylic.
Minor chairside adjustments are commonly required, involving trimming and polishing any acrylic areas that feel bulky or cause pressure points. This adjustment process typically takes about 30 minutes and is often iterative.
If the flipper needs significant modification, or if the patient reports persistent soreness, a follow-up adjustment appointment may be scheduled. The patient receives instructions on how to properly insert, remove, and clean the flipper, as well as guidelines on which foods to avoid to prevent breakage.
Variables That Affect the Total Timeline
The overall timeline for receiving a dental flipper is subject to several variables, ranging from logistical factors to the complexity of the case. One significant external factor is the proximity of the dental office to the laboratory. The total timeframe often includes two days for courier transit—one day to send the impression to the lab and another day for the finished flipper to be returned. Choosing a local lab can sometimes shave off a day or two compared to using a lab across a state or country.
The complexity of the appliance also dictates the lab’s fabrication time. A single-tooth flipper is much faster to produce than a flipper replacing three or four teeth, which requires more time for precise tooth alignment and acrylic contouring. Patient-specific circumstances, such as the need for a tooth extraction, also influence the start date. Impressions are typically taken either before the extraction for an immediate placement or after a brief period of initial healing.
For patients with an immediate need, an expedited “rush” service is often available for an additional fee. This service allows the dental lab to prioritize the case, potentially reducing the fabrication time from the standard week to as little as two to three days, or even same-day fabrication. However, this expedited process can sometimes limit the time available for the meticulous finishing steps, potentially increasing the number of chairside adjustments needed during the final delivery.