What are dentures made from?

Dentures are available in a variety of different forms, colours and materials, and are custom made just for you. Here's our guide to what you can expect when you get your new dentures and what they are made of. Your dentist will be able to help you with choosing the most appropriate material for you depending on your lifestyle.

Denture base

The base of your denture will primarily be made of acrylic, and will mimic the look and colour of your gums, so that your replacement teeth appear natural in your mouth. To help keep your denture base in tip-top shape, you should take special care when removing and storing your dentures as they may break if dropped.
 

Denture teeth

It may be important to you that your denture teeth look as natural as possible and allow you to smile confidently. So you may want to consider two types of denture teeth available: porcelain and acrylic.

Porcelain is the material which will most closely mimic the look and feel of tooth enamel, making it perfect for replacement teeth. 

As well as looking natural, your new porcelain teeth are also harder than acrylic and often more durable, allowing you to enjoy the foods you love. Porcelain can be prone to chipping however.

High-quality acrylic denture teeth can also appear very natural next to your own teeth, metal crowns or fillings, and are a lot less brittle than porcelain teeth. 

It is important to note however, that acrylic teeth on a full or partial denture may deteriorate faster than porcelain. Denture acrylic is up to 10 times softer than your natural teeth, so adopting good denture care and a specialist cleaning routine is important to keep them in good condition.

 Using a denture cleanser tablet will provide a deep clean and leave you feeling fresh with your denture.

Denture frameworks

For denture frameworks and metal clasps on partial dentures, chrome cobalt is the most popular material. This is because it’s incredibly strong, helps support the structure of the dentures, and can withstand pressure from chewing. Other materials used in denture frameworks are nickel chrome, stainless steel and gold.

To help you feel comfortable and confident your replacement teeth will need to be made of the materials best suited to you, and your dentist will help you with this decision. Once your dentures are fitted, you can get back to enjoying the foods you love.