Types of Dentures
Partial, full, cobalt chrome, immediate and implant-retained dentures, and fixed teeth on implants: what each one is, who it suits and what it costs on Greenwich Peninsula.
What Types of Dentures Are There, and What Do They Cost?
There are five main types. An acrylic partial denture replaces one or several teeth on a gum-coloured plate; a cobalt chrome denture does the same on a thinner, stronger metal frame; a full denture replaces every tooth in one jaw; an immediate denture is made in advance and fitted on the day teeth come out; and an implant-retained denture clips onto implants so it stays put. If you want teeth that never come out, fixed full-arch implants are the alternative. At Peninsula Dentists on Greenwich Peninsula, acrylic partials start at £600, full dentures at £750, cobalt chrome at £1,200 and implant-retained dentures at £8,500 per jaw.
The Types at a Glance
| Type | What it is | Fee, from |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate acrylic denture | Made before an extraction and fitted the same day | £600 |
| Acrylic partial, 1 to 4 teeth | Replacement teeth on a gum-coloured acrylic base | £600 |
| Acrylic partial, 4 or more teeth | The same, for larger or several gaps | £700 |
| Cobalt chrome denture | Teeth on a thin frame of cast metal | £1,200 |
| Full acrylic denture | Replaces every tooth in one jaw | £750 |
| Implant-retained denture | Clips onto implants and unclips for cleaning | £8,500 per jaw |
| Fixed full-arch teeth | Screwed to implants; you don't take them out | £9,300 per arch |
These are starting fees. Yours is set out in a written plan before anything is made, and dental plan members pay 10% less on dentures.2
Partial Dentures: Acrylic or Cobalt Chrome
A partial denture fills the gaps when some of your own teeth remain. Acrylic partials carry the replacement teeth on a pink plastic base. They are the quickest to make and the least expensive, and if you lose another tooth later, one can be added (£105 a tooth).
Cobalt chrome dentures set the teeth on a thin frame of cast metal. That makes them slimmer, stronger and steadier than an all-acrylic plate, with neat clasps that rest on your own teeth, from £1,200. We'll suggest one or the other at your examination, based on the teeth you have left and how settled the gaps are.
Not Sure Which Denture Suits You?
Book a dental examination and we'll show you the options for your mouth, each with its fee in writing.
Full Dentures
When every tooth in the upper or lower jaw has gone, a full denture replaces them all, from £750. An upper denture usually holds well because it seals against the palate. A full lower denture has much less to grip, which is why it is the one most likely to move when you eat or talk.
For a full denture we set the teeth in wax at a try-in first. You see how they look, how they meet and how you sound, and anything you'd like different is changed before the denture is finished.
Immediate (Temporary) Dentures After Extractions
An immediate denture is made before your teeth are taken out and fitted at the same appointment, so you never go without. It is often called a temporary denture, because your gums shrink and change shape most in the months after an extraction. As they settle, the denture loosens; we can reline it at the chair (£110), and in time replace it with a longer-term denture or with implants.
"Permanent" Dentures: Clip-in or Fixed Teeth on Implants
No denture is permanent in the sense of never needing care, but implants come closest, and they are the answer if you are looking for dentures you can wear all the time. An implant-retained denture clips onto two or more implants and stays put while you eat and speak, then unclips for cleaning, from £8,500 per jaw.
Fixed full-arch teeth, often called All-on-4, are screwed to implants, so you can't take them out at all, from £9,300 per arch. On our same day teeth pathway, fixed temporary teeth can go in on the day of surgery where your bone allows.1 Both start with a free consultation, and the full-arch consultation includes the CT scan.
Living with Each Type
- Any removable denture: start with softer food cut small and chew on both sides while you adapt. Take it out at night so your gums can rest, and clean it every day; our dentures page explains how to clean dentures.
- A clip-in implant denture: it comes out twice a day for cleaning, and you brush gently around the implants. The small clips inside wear over time and are swapped at a routine appointment.
- Fixed full-arch teeth: cleaned in place, like natural teeth, with a water flosser under the bridge, and checked at three-monthly hygiene visits.
What Dentures Cost in Greenwich, and Spreading the Cost
Acrylic dentures are the least expensive way to replace missing teeth: a small partial is from £600, a larger one from £700 and a full denture from £750. Cobalt chrome starts at £1,200. Implant-retained dentures and fixed full-arch teeth cost more because they include implant surgery, but they also help protect the jawbone, which slowly shrinks under a plate.
Treatment from £1,500 can be spread through Chrysalis Finance at 14.9% APR representative, subject to status.5 Our fee list shows every denture fee. Every fee and each step of having one made are on our page about dentures in Greenwich.
Where to Start
If you're considering a denture, begin with a dental examination (£30 for new patients, two X-rays included), where we check your gums, the teeth you still have and your bite. If implants could help, the implant consultation is free. Either way, you go home with each option and its fee in writing, and nothing is made until you've decided.
Questions
This guide explains the options in general terms. Only an examination can tell you which of them suits your own teeth.