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Mistakes to Avoid When Taking Your Impressions

Too Shallow

You need to bite deep enough into the putty to fully capture your gum line. It’s not enough to simply capture the tips of your teeth. Gently bite all the way down until you feel your teeth come in light contact with the bottom of the tray. 

Impression Broken - Side Hit

Line up your teeth over the center of the tray before you bite down. If your teeth are too far to one side or too far forward or backward, you will hit the sides of the tray.

Mistakes to Avoid When Taking Your Impressions - Impression Broken - Side Hit

 

Rear Teeth Too Shallow

Make sure both the front and back sides of your mouth are captured in the putty by applying enough pressure evenly across the tray.  Use your thumbs to put pressure on your rear teeth. Your impression should include your back molars in order for us to get a full picture of your mouth. The putty will come out of the back and over the sides of the tray as put pressure on the tray. You should feel the putty on your gums at the back of your mouth.

Mistakes to Avoid When Taking Your Impressions - Rear Teeth Too Shallow

Improper Putty Mixing

The base and catalyst must be fully mixed so it’s one solid color. If there are any swirls of the original putty colors, the putty won’t fully set, so it can’t completely capture your impressions. Always be sure to mix thoroughly until you’ve achieved one solid color.

Mistakes to Avoid When Taking Your Impressions - Improper Putty Mixing

Tray Moved

Keep your tray steady when taking impressions. Otherwise, you can create a double imprint of your teeth and gums, or your teeth can scrape along the putty, distorting their actual length and shape. Once you feel the putty on your gums and your teeth have come in light contact with the bottom of the tray, don’t move or adjust the tray. If you need to stabilize the tray, use your thumbs to gently hold the top tray in place.

 

Mistakes to Avoid When Taking Your Impressions - Tray Moved

Removed Too Early

The tray needs to remain in your mouth for at least 3.5 minutes. If you take it out too early, your teeth will drag along the putty, distorting the length of your teeth and your gum line.

Mistakes to Avoid When Taking Your Impressions - Removed Too Early