Review of Dental Lab Direct: My Experience
At-Home Dental Services
There are a few different websites out there from which you can order dentures, partials, snap-on veneers, or retainers from home without going to the dentist. In this article, you will find my honest review of my experience ordering a partial from Dental Lab Direct, an at-home dental service.
Missing or Broken Teeth Can Affect Self-Esteem
Let’s face it, missing, or broken teeth can really put a damper on your self-esteem. A good smile can help your self-image and give a good impression to those you meet. It can even help during a job interview, especially when you work in customer service like me. It may make or break the job offer. Maybe you are feeling self-conscious and searching for a less-expensive alternative to traditional dental services.
Dental Lab Direct may be the perfect answer to your worries. They are far less expensive than going to the dentist, but are they worth it? I’m here to explain the pros and cons of ordering a partial denture online.
Why I Needed a Partial
When I was about 12 years old, my front tooth was knocked out in an accident. My parents rushed me to the emergency room, where they immediately called in an oral surgeon to try to save my tooth. I woke up in the hospital to a giant needle that they were going to use to numb my gums.
Even though the doctor had reinserted my tooth right away, by the next week, it began turning dark and eventually black as my roots died. As a young girl, I was horrified.
An orthodontist gave me a fake tooth attached to braces, but it never looked right. I have been self-conscious about it for my entire life. When my braces were finally removed, an oral surgeon suggested a bone graft to eventually get an implant. Each treatment was very expensive and not covered by insurance.
After two artificial bone grafts, they told me the artificial grafts failed and that I had only one more option: to graft a piece of bone from my chin to see if my body would accept it. The ultimate answer was no. My upper jaw bone had receded so much that I could never be a candidate for an implant.
We moved to the next best option, which was a bridge. They filed down my other front tooth and attached a permanent bridge which they said would last 10 years or more.
It never really looked right to me, and I continued to hide it from my friends and classmates, trying not to let anyone in on my little secret.
When I became an adult, the tooth that had been filed down began to hurt. The bridge actually lasted about 20 years, far longer than they thought but had begun to fail. An infection got underneath the tooth at the root, and I would need to either get the tooth pulled or receive a costly root canal and then replace the bridge. I weighed my options, which were money-driven, and decided that getting it removed would be the best option financially.
Obtaining a Partial From a Local Dental Clinic
Financially, my only option was to obtain a partial from a dental clinic, which would be less expensive than a traditional cosmetic dentist. Depending on your income, dental clinics often offer discounted services, mostly on a sliding fee scale. Even though I was technically under the poverty limit, the services were still very costly.
After a month or so of healing from the extraction, I had to go into the office and get molds taken for a new partial. I pretty much hid in my home, afraid of public scrutiny during this time. My husband did most of the shopping, and my young children often asked where my teeth were. Embarrassing, to say the least.
As a young mother, I missed having a nice smile, playing, and laughing with my young son. Altogether, with the extraction and new partial, it cost around $1,800 dollars. It was tough to afford, but it was something I had to make room in our budget for.
When I received the part, I was relieved it finally arrived. But it didn’t look right. It was better than having no teeth at all, and I needed to get on with living my life. The partial was the wrong color—much lighter than my other teeth. The teeth were also larger than my real teeth, and sort of gave me that bucktooth look. Nonetheless, I accepted the fact my smile would never be what it once was. With bone loss and a fake partial, I looked very different than before.
Partials Only Last for a Few Years
Over time your teeth move, whether it’s because of age or missing teeth, which means that you will eventually have to replace your partial with a new one. I made it last three or four years, even though I hated the way it looked. The partial began giving me pressure sores, one side being loose and the other side too tight. It would often just fall out and start causing me pain and stress.
So I went back to the dental clinic to obtain a new one, and this time it was even worse. I paid for a new partial, which turned out to be bigger and bulkier than the last one.
It was an acrylic partial, which had large hooks around my back teeth. It rubbed my gums very hard and was even more painful to wear than the first. This caused me to throw it in a drawer for months and revert to wearing the old partial for quite some time.
I knew there had to be something better out there. I had gotten quotes from a cosmetic dentist for another permanent bridge and a new partial, but the price tag was far out of my reach. That’s when I began researching at-home dental lab services. One day, I came across a site called Dental Lab Direct.
Affordable Alternative to Costly Dental Visits
Why I Chose Dental Lab Direct
- They seemed like a legit company. I was worried about giving my financial information online. What if they just took my money, or what if they were a scam?
- I read tons of reviews from different websites, and I did my own research on their company. Most were very good, with the occasional bad experience.
- They had a professional website that was easy to navigate, and they had a few different options of partials to choose from.
- I found a coupon code online, which lowered the price by an additional $50 and made it seem like I was getting a great deal.
The Process of Ordering Online
The process began with choosing which type of partial I wanted. They had traditional acrylic partials like the one I had before, ones with wire hooks, a clear retainer-like partial, or their newest addition, a Flex Partial. This Flex Partial is made of a more flexible material that can more easily mold to your mouth while wearing. This seemed like the best option for me. During the ordering process, you will choose the following.
- Type of partial
- Tooth color (it was easy to choose from only four colors)
- Gum shade (light or dark)
Choosing what is best for you is straightforward and easy because the website offers pictures of the tooth shades and gum colors.
How Long Did It Take From Start to Finish?
Within a week of ordering, the kit came in the mail. The kit included top and bottom trays with dental putty and instructions.
Mixing the putty is easy, but you have to do it quickly. Simply mix the blue and white putties together and roll them into a snake-like shape to insert them into the trays. Taking the impressions was relatively easy if you’ve ever had impressions done at the dentist before. You have to wait a few minutes for the putty to harden and sort of wiggle them out of your mouth.
Once I placed the impressions in the self-sealing box which was provided, I waited impatiently for the finished product in the mail. When I say impatiently, I was more than excited to have new teeth. According to the website, they allow about a month for processing your dental appliance, but I received mine in three weeks.
How Did It Fit?
When I first tried on the partial, I thought it fit tightly, but I was so used to my old loose-fitting partial that it seemed foreign to me. But with any new dental appliance, you have to give your mouth time to acclimate to the new device.
Once I was used to wearing it, I realized how perfectly it actually fit—no more bulky appliance in my mouth and no more food particles getting stuck in my teeth. Overall I’m extremely happy with my purchase and definitely recommend Dental Lab Direct to my friends and readers. Follow the link below to check them out for yourself.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.
