Metal or acrylic partial dentures – which one is best for you?
A partial denture is made to replace one or more missing teeth and relies on the remaining natural teeth to hold it in place. They are a very cost effective way to restore your smile and function after losing your natural teeth as an alternative to expensive implants or crown and bridge work.
There are two main ways of constructing a partial denture:
- Acrylic partial dentures are made entirely of acrylic (plastic) and use metal wire clasps to attach to the remaining natural teeth.
- Metal (cobalt-chrome) partial dentures are made of a thin base of metal with teeth and acrylic attached to the base plate.
What are the differences and does it matter which type I get?
There is no short answer to that question!
Generally metal partial dentures are smaller, lighter and much easier to adjust to. They are also stronger, harder to damage and have a much longer lifespan. However they are also more expensive for all these reasons.
Acrylic partial dentures may not score so well in these areas but they are still a very successful option for many people. For example a good reason to consider having an acrylic denture instead of a metal base is the health of your remaining teeth.
If you are likely to lose more teeth in the very near future then acrylic dentures are easier to have more teeth added to meaning that losing teeth does not require having a whole new denture made.
These are just a couple of the things to consider before deciding on the type of denture you have made.
Everyone’s mouth is unique. You will wear a denture for many years so you need to make the best decision for your circumstances.
As dental prosthetists dentures are our expert area – it is literally all we do!
With four decades of experience we can fully inform you on all aspects of denture design, construction and rehabilitation to ensure you get the best possible outcome.
