A Cu-Sil® (Copper-Silicon) gasket is a soft, elastomeric liner in a denture that grips natural teeth, sealing out food and providing stability. It is ideal for preserving teeth when traditional dentures aren't suitable, but requires specific lab licensing, careful cleaning, and regular dental check-ups for maintenance.
Cu-Sil® is a practical alternative to overdentures, transitional dentures, conventional dentures, and full dentures. It can be used for palateless uppers and free-end partials where the tooth contour is insufficient for cast clasps. It improves the prognosis of loose, mobile, isolated, elongated, or periodontally involved abutments. Cu-Sil® is an acrylic tissue-bearing appliance featuring a soft elastomeric gasket that clasps the neck of each natural tooth, sealing out food and fluids, and cushioning and splinting each natural tooth from the hard denture base. Cu-Sil® dentures require specific care to protect the soft, flexible gasket that fits around the remaining natural teeth. The manufacturer recommends using only approved cleansers to avoid damage.
What it is:
- A proprietary soft liner (often silicone-based, not actual copper) is used in dentures.
- It creates a snug seal around existing teeth, preventing food from getting trapped.
- Provides cushioning and splinting for loose teeth, improving prognosis for periodontally involved teeth.
How it works (Function):
- Retention: The soft gasket securely grips the neck of each natural tooth, holding the denture in place.
- Sealing: It forms a tight seal, stopping food and fluids from getting under the denture.
- Stability: It stabilizes and splints multiple teeth, improving function and appearance.
When it's used (Indications):
- For patients with few remaining teeth who want to avoid extractions.
- For palateless upper dentures or free-end partial dentures, where clasps aren't ideal.
- To improve the stability of loose or periodontally compromised teeth.
Daily Cleaning Instructions
- Remove and Rinse Remove your denture after every meal or snack and rinse it thoroughly under running water.
- Brush Gently Use a soft-bristled toothbrush or a denture brush with dish soap (not abrasive toothpaste) to clean the denture. Be gentle around the soft gasket material.
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Soak Daily
- Place the denture in a glass or container filled with Cu-Sil Denture Cleanser solution.
- Soak for 1 to 2 hours daily, or overnight if preferred.
- This cleanser is non-chlorine and helps prevent fungal growth on the soft liner.
- Remove dentures overnight to allow gums to rest
- Rinse Thoroughly After soaking, rinse the denture well under running water before reinserting it.
Weekly/Occasional Cleaning
- For Stains and Plaque, Kleenite can be safely used to remove heavier stains from coffee, tea, or nicotine, as well as general plaque accumulation.
- For Heavy Calculus/Tartar, if irregular cleaning leads to hardened deposits, Stain Away Plus is recommended for occasional use.
- Follow the package directions for these specific cleaners.
- Regular dental check-ups are crucial for adjustments, relines (as teeth shift), and liner replacement (typically every 8-12 months).
Important Considerations:
- Lab Requirement: Dental labs must be licensed by Cu-Sil®l to make them.
- Not for Everyone: Best with few remaining teeth; traditional partials are better for many teeth.
- Technique-sensitive: Fabrication requires specialized skills.
Benefits
- Eliminates wear, stress, and torque of metal clasps
- Allows low-cost add-ons, repairs, and relines.
- Barely noticeable
Pros
- Prevents tooth loss
- improves the longevity of loose periodontally involved teeth
Cons
- Cannot use on multiple teeth; the patient will have trouble seating
Important Precautions
- DO NOT use standard denture tablets (e.g., Efferdent) that contain chlorine, as they can cause bleaching, hardening, and porosity of the soft gasket material.
- DO NOT use abrasive toothpaste or harsh chemicals.
- DO NOT use hot water with your dentures, as it can distort the shape.
- Keep the denture moist when not in your mouth to keep the material from drying out.
- See your dentist if the fit changes or the gasket appears damaged, as the soft liner may need to be replaced every 1-2 years.
Disposal
- Disposing of complete dentures involves treating them as potentially biohazardous waste due to the risk of bodily fluids.
- For home disposal, if you have old dentures, contact your dentist for proper procedures.
- They can't just be thrown in the trash
- They might be incinerated or managed as regulated waste for environmental safety.
- Biohazard Classification: Unclaimed dentures are often treated as regulated medical waste.
- Specialized Disposal: Clinics use licensed medical waste companies (like MedPro Disposal, BioServ) for collection, treatment, and safe disposal, often by incineration