Which instrument is used to trim and contour wax during denture processing?

• A. Wax knife
• B. Acrylic trimming bur
• C. Archwire
• D. Willis bite gauge

Answer: (A)

Trimming and contouring the wax in denture processing is done with a wax knife. The wax knife has a thin, flat blade that lets you precisely remove excess wax and shape the borders and contours without gouging the surrounding area. This tool is specifically designed for manipulating wax, which is softer and easier to shape than acrylic. In contrast, an acrylic trimming bur is used after processing to trim the finished acrylic resin, an archwire is unrelated to denture fabrication, and a Willis bite gauge is for measuring occlusal relationships, not for shaping wax. So the wax knife is the appropriate instrument for this step.