What are Acrylic Dentures?
Acrylic dentures consist of the denture teeth attached to an acrylic base plate.
How they Work?
Stability (not rocking) and retention (grip) come from 3 aspects of the acrylic denture:
- The denture fitting closely and tightly against the gums and natural teeth
- The use of wrought metal clasps (retainers) to grip the teeth
- In cases where only a few teeth remain; a well fitting base plate, covering as much of the hard tissue, (that’s the jawbone, palate and ridges) in your mouth as possible.
They are ‘mucosal borne dentures’- meaning they get support (resist chewing forces) by sitting on your ridges.<
What are their Advantages?
- Cheapest
- Quick and easy to make (though not necessarily to get right)
- Easy to change- add teeth, reline etc.
- Easiest to take in and out
What are their Dis-advantages?
- least comfortable and well tolerated
- least stable
- least grip (retention)
- often bigger and more bulky (unless a single front tooth)
- require more muscle control
- tend to break more easily
- need to cover the palate if teeth are missing on both sides – this affects telling temperature and the chewing experience.
Best Situations?
- Lots of changes are expected to be needed
- As a training denture for wearing a complete denture
- Trauma cases- where teeth have been knocked out
- Immediate dentures– where a tooth is to be removed as they are most easily relined
- Cheapest option needed
- As a temporary solution before more extensive and expensive treatment
- Where trouble putting dentures in and taking them out is experienced