Dentures

Dentures can be a good option to replace lost teeth, from just one tooth to the whole mouth. They are no longer just stock replacements that look “wrong” and are now custom made for all patients to provide the best fit possible and also the most natural-looking result for each patient. There are multiple options available, each with their own benefits and limitations, but the treating dentist will discuss all these options thoroughly with you, including the cost for each. All dentures need good care and oral hygiene, and your dentist will go through all of this with you.

There are 4 options for denture materials available:

• Metal Frames: These frames use metal clasps or supports that secure onto existing teeth and ultimately hold the dentures in place. This means the denture holds in place better and is much more stable during eating and talking. They do require that the teeth that they are attached to be healthy and to last the life of the denture, otherwise the hold of the denture can be lost. Metal frames can sometimes leave a metallic taste and some clasps may show in certain cases.
• Flexibles: Flexible dentures can offer a more comfortable denture with good retention. Flexibles cling to the gums on their own, with clear material that allows the natural gum colour to show through. Flexible denture has less strength than other options and can be more easily deformed under typical stresses seen in the mouth over long-term use. The consequences of this can lead to poor retention due to clasp or general frame deformation, reducing the hold over time.
• Acrylic: Acrylic dentures are the cheapest option but can still have good results and good appearance in most cases. They use the gum to hold onto in the mouth and so will also move a little during use as the gum is squashed. They are easier to attach new teeth onto at later dates if more teeth are lost due to trauma or disease. However, they can be easier to damage and more uncomfortable than flexibles, and they can result in sore spots in the mouth and are made thicker in sections, making them bulky.
• High-performance polymers: These dentures hit the “sweet spot” between metals and flexibles more effectively than acrylic. Metals can be too rigid and flexibles can be too flimsy but high-performance polymers are custom-formulated to provide the perfect balance of both. This gives you great hold on the teeth, reducing movement during use and helping them stay in place better as well as looking more natural. They have a small amount of flexibility which increases comfort and also eases putting them in and removing them from the mouth.