Flexible Dentures & How Much Does It Cost in the UK?

Flexible Dentures & How Much Does It Cost in the UK?

27th March 2021

Flexible Dentures are the most suitable answer to teeth replacement for the elderly. As you age and more teeth fall out, a bridge is no longer sufficient. A dental bridge needs anchoring on both sides. Aging teeth no longer have the strength to support a bridge.

The perfect answer IS implants, but it is quite impractical to replace a dozen teeth with implants. Not only is the cost going to be prohibitively high, but the amount of drilling into the jaw to create so many abutments is near impossible.

The jawbone, like any other bone, shrinks and loses mass as one age. Extensive drilling is impossible.

A denture is a perfect, cheap, and reliable solution. Also, dentures have been around for at least a century. They are easy to make and maintain. Tried and tested technology is far more trustworthy.

Modern flexible dentures are exemplary. They are strong and can stand an enormous amount of stress.

What Are Flexible Dentures (Chrome Dentures)?

Chromium is a metal. Pure chromium is not used for making dentures. Cobalt and chromium alloys are known for sturdiness and are widely used for prosthetics manufacture.

The most significant plus point is that it does not interact with the human body. The various types of tissues inside the oral cavity are sensitive, and interaction would be painful.

There is no possibility of poisoning or allergy from using chrome-based alloy for prosthetics. Not only is Co-Cr alloy, as it is known, used for making dentures but also crowns.

A cobalt-chrome alloy denture does not mean you are going to have shiny metallic teeth. The Co-Cr alloy is used to make the metal frame that holds the resin-based artificial teeth in place.

Biggest Advantages of Flexible Dentures

1. Comfort
A denture remains in your mouth for the better part of the day. Unless it is comfortable, they would be near impossible to wear. Flexible dentures are compact and able to grip the jaw without too much pressure. You would feel no pain, pressure, or irritation.

2. Thin
A traditional denture made of acrylic has a lot of bulk. The jaws exert tremendous pressure when chewing. In fact, our jaws are the strongest muscle. The size of acrylic dentures is a disadvantage. Since chromium is a robust material, dentures made from it are far thinner and sleek.

3. Retention
Some are scared to wear dentures because they might slip out of place. When this happens in public, it isn’t very pleasant. Chrome-based dentures have superb retention. Once you clasp them on in the morning, they remain attached all day long. Soon you would forget that you are wearing dentures because they are so natural.

4. Effective Chewing
Dentures need to replicate the grinding action of the teeth. This is indeed difficult without implants. Traditional dentures move slightly inside the mouth. They are unable to transfer the pressure of the jaw to the food. This means mastication is incomplete. Chrome dentures are able to provide a superior grinding action and help to eat the toughest food.

Chromium vs. Acrylic dentures

Chromium dentures are the so-called open palate design. A traditional denture covers the entire roof of the mouth. There is a definite disadvantage because you cannot taste the food you eat very well.

In fact, the biggest problem with traditional acrylic dentures is that one can’t feel the temperature of the food.

The open palate design is revolutionary. It allows you to feel the temperature of food and enhances the eating experience.

Plastic dentures use clasps. These prove to be unpleasant in the long run as they cause additional stress on adjoining teeth. A chrome cobalt denture doesn’t grip the teeth but rests on the mouth using its frame. Due to this, the bulkiness is lacking, and there is a natural feel.

How Are They Made?

At Natural Smiles, we provide precision dentures using the latest alloys such as Vitalium. These look and feel like your own teeth. However, there are several steps before we can give you a perfect smile.

At first, there is an initial dental examination. If any of the remaining teeth are diseased, they have to be treated. With sufficient dental material, a root canal can be performed. Otherwise, it is best to extract diseased teeth.

Following an initial consult and any additional treatment, a mould is made of your teeth. This is a painless process, and you have to bite on a soft material with the consistency of soap. Using this mould and measurements, our technicians craft your custom dentures. Every denture is made from start to end by a specialist.

After the denture has been made, the patient is called in for a fitting. This might be a lengthy process and require several minute adjustments to the shape of the denture. Having patience is important because you want the end result to last for years.

Cost of Flexible Dentures in the UK

What is the cost of dentures in the UK? Good question since there are many types of dentures.

Not only can dentures be full or partial, but the cost can vary based on material and number of visits.

Chromium dentures are more expensive than acrylic counterparts. It is not cheap plastic but has to be crafted from solid metal.

The cost would vary between £600 – £1,500. The considerable difference is because a denture can have as few as five and as many as ten teeth.

Full dentures are rarely made of chromium. Chromium dentures require that you have some existing teeth.

You have to note that the charge consists of several visits – initial consult, measurements, and 1-3 fitting sessions.

When you compare it to the cost of implants, it is not much. Our services at Natural Smile are affordable, and we guarantee you would have an outstanding fit.

Gift Yourself a Smile

If several of your teeth are missing, it is essential you replace them as soon as possible. This is not only because it restores your smile but since missing teeth can cause other teeth to lean at unnatural angles.

Using chromium dentures, you could enjoy life to the hilt without being self-conscious. They are slightly more expensive than acrylic but considering the vast number of advantages, well worth the price.