Denture Materials: Choosing the Right Base for Your Smile

Dentures are prosthetic devices available in various materials and styles. Making the proper denture material choice is essential to guarantee comfort, longevity, and performance. The decision is influenced by variables, such as patient desire, dental health, and financial constraints. To ascertain the best course of action in each unique situation, speaking with a prosthodontist or dentist might be helpful. The following are materials for dentures:

Acrylic Resin:

Acrylic is the most common and widely used material for denture bases. Acrylic dentures are pink in color to mimic the gum shade whereas teeth could be resin colored to resemble natural tooth shade. It is light in weight, easy to adjust, and relatively inexpensive compared to other denture material options. Acrylic dentures are also easier to repair if they break. However, they may wear down faster and are prone to have stains over time.

Acrylic dentures are normally used as temporary dentures or as an interim option to replace missing gaps immediately after teeth removal. When the gum area has healed, acrylic dentures are normally replaced with a metal frame denture as a long-lasting solution. There are two basic types of acrylic dentures:

Partial Denture: If there are several missing teeth, acrylic resin dentures may be made with acrylic or small metal clasp.

Full denture: Conventional full dentures are normally made of acrylics when there are no teeth in the oral cavity.

Advantages of Acrylic Denture material:

• Acrylic dentures are economical in comparison to metal dentures.
• Manufacturing time of acrylic dentures are comparatively shorter and faster than other denture materials.
• Ability to restore missing bone structures along with missing teeth.

Disadvantages of Acrylic Denture material:

• Shelf life of acrylic dentures is between 5-8 years.
• Altered taste and smell of food.
• Improper speaking and pronunciation of certain words.

Porcelain Dentures:

In addition to tooth material, porcelain is another foundation material for dentures. Porcelain is stronger and more resilient compared to acrylic resin bases. Porcelain material has the benefit of multi-shaded teeth, which provide a more natural aesthetic. Porcelain dentures are somewhat more expensive and more vulnerable to unintentional damage.

When it comes to both quality and appearance, porcelain dentures outperform acrylic dentures. Everything was altered by porcelain denture teeth. If you require a single tooth replaced or a complete set of dentures, there is porcelain available that looks very like the real thing.

Advantages of Porcelain

• Provide magnificent esthetics and greater strength.
• Stains do not occur easily on porcelain dentures.
• Porcelain dentures are long-lasting and durable

Disadvantages of Porcelain

• Porcelain dentures produce clicking sound
• Porcelain dentures can lead to bone loss as porcelain disperse forces to bone
• Porcelain can damage natural teeth (if present)

Alloy-cobalt-chromium Metal Dentures:

These metal-based dentures are thinner than acrylic and much more durable and fit more comfortably. They are less prone to crack or shatter. Dentures with a metal foundation could cost more than acrylic dentures. However, some people might experience allergic responses to them.

They are usually manufactured only when the gums and teeth have completely healed. Metal dentures are sometimes referred to as permanent dentures. If there are missing gaps in the jaw, a metal denture might provide stability in comparison to its lighter acrylic equivalent. Metal frame dentures come in two varieties:

Cast Partial Denture: They have metal frame base or removable metal plate with resin teeth. Metal clasps hold removable partial dentures onto teeth. The clasps are part of the actual metal framework allowing stability and elasticity to the denture.

Complete Metal Denture: They have metal base that rest on gums and resin teeth are attached to metal frame by metal meshwork. Metal framework reinforcement is used in complete dentures to improve the fracture resistance, dimensional stability, accuracy, weight, and retention of a definitive prosthesis.

Advantages of Metal Base Dentures

• Metal base dentures distribute chewing forces more evenly across the underlying tissues
• Metal base dentures are highly durable and resistant to fracture or breakage
• Metal base dentures provide better stability and retention due to their rigid structure

Disadvantages of Metal Base Dentures

• Metal base dentures tend to be more expensive than other denture material options
• Adjustments to metal base dentures can be more challenging
• Some individuals may have allergic reactions to the metals used in the denture base

Flexible Base Denture:

These materials are composed of polymers based on nylon, providing comfort and flexibility. Patients with abnormalities in their jawbone or prone to mouth pain should consider them. They might not be as sturdy as alternatives made of acrylic or metal, though.

The thin thermoplastic material used to make flexible dentures is softer than that of ordinary dentures. Valplast partial dentures are among the most widely used flexible dentures. Valplast is a form of hybrid acrylic denture composed of novel polymers, specifically nylon.

Advantages of Flexible Base Denture:

• Flexible base dentures are soft and pliable, making them more comfortable to wear
• Translucent nature of flexible denture materials blends seamlessly with the natural color of the gums
• Nylon and thermoplastic elastomers used in flexible dentures are biocompatible materials.

Disadvantages of Flexible Base Denture:

• Flexible base dentures are generally not as strong as traditional acrylic or metal-based dentures
• Repairing flexible dentures may be more complex and may require specialized expertise or materials
• Flexible base dentures tend to be more expensive than traditional acrylic dentures due to the specialized materials

Digital Acrylic Dentures

Digital acrylic dentures are also referred to as CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing) dentures. An innovative approach to denture construction is the use of digital acrylic dentures. First, a 3-shape intraoral scanner is used to take a digital scan of the patient's mouth. Once the digital image has been obtained, CAD software is used to create the dentures. With the help of the application, patients may precisely tailor the denture's size, shape, and fit to their own oral anatomy. Dentures are made using acrylic materials in a 3D printer or milling machine that receives the 3D pictures. This process ensures high accuracy and uniformity in the final result.

High-quality acrylic materials that are biocompatible, lightweight, and long-lasting are usually used to make digital acrylic dentures. These materials have been chosen with care to resemble teeth and gums in their natural state.

Advantages of Digital Acrylic Denture

• Digital workflow streamline reduces the production time that allow patients to receive dentures more quickly
• Digital acrylic dentures are made from high-quality acrylic materials that are durable and long-lasting
• Digital design software offers extensive customization options for tooth shape, size, color, and gum contouring
• Disadvantages of Digital Acrylic Denture
• Some patients may have specific material preferences or requirements that cannot be met with digital acrylics
• Digital denture fabrication requires an initial investment that may result in higher costs

Ivotion (Ivoclar)

In the field of digital dentures, the Ivotion digital denture has been called a major inventive development. Ivotion is a revolutionary bicolor disc that makes it possible to mill full dentures in a single operation.

The bicolor disc has a special feature called Shell Geometry, which is a data based. The three-dimensional structure of the tooth and dental arch can be quickly fabricated digitally. It precisely maps the transition between the tooth and the disc's denture base parts. It provides the flexibility to alter the form of individual teeth for dentures tailored to each patient. Dentures merely require polishing before delivery because they are machined in a single and continuous operation.

Ivotion blends a high-quality denture base material with a highly cross-linked PMMA tooth material. There is no need for an extra adhesive substance because the tooth and gingival material fuse together. The two components are polymerized together in a single production process to create a direct chemical link.

Advantages of Ivoclar Denture:

• No porosities or polymerization shrinkage
• Fewer dental visit with reduced production time
• No chance of tooth loss as teeth and denture base are milled by one disc
• Disadvantages of Ivoclar Denture:
Dentures made from Ivoclar materials may be more expensive compared to alternative materials
• Highly skilled dental staff is needed for fabrication of Ivoclar dentures

Think about things like your lifestyle, finances, dental health, and personal preferences while selecting a denture base material. It's crucial to speak with your prosthodontist or dentist to find the best solution for your unique situation. Regardless of the base material you choose, maintaining your dentures on a regular basis and practicing good dental hygiene are also critical to their longevity.