What Are Flexible Full Dentures?

What Are Flexible Full Dentures?

Nothing beats being confident with your body and having a great smile. Unfortunately, old age and certain oral conditions may damage your gums and teeth, dimming your bright smile.

As a solution, traditional dentures were introduced decades ago, made primarily from acrylic polymers. Partial dentures typically have metal alloys added, especially to make the hooks that attach them to your natural teeth.

While technology has allowed more advanced solutions to fix tooth gaps, most still prefer dentures due to their cost and wide availability. However, they’re not for everyone. Common problems include allergies and fitting issues, which flexible full dentures have now been addressed.

If you want to know more about flexible dentures, read on to learn the basics.

Understanding flexible full dentures

Generally, dentures are removable replacements for your missing teeth. They serve both functional and aesthetic purposes, helping prevent your remaining teeth from moving and restoring your confidence by giving the illusion that your pearly whites are complete.

These dental appliances are made from various materials, including porcelain, plastic, acrylic, and other combinations. Flexible full dentures are typically made from nylon or plastic material, making them highly soft and pliable. While flexible dentures are more popular for partial applications, they can also be manufactured as full or complete dentures. Additionally, these oral solutions forego metal hooks that you see in traditional dentures.

If you’re planning to get one, visit the dental clinics nearest you. For example, clients in Queensland, Australia, may start searching online for clinics specialising in full dentures Brisbane City has on its list.

Unlike traditional dentures made from acrylic, flexible dentures are almost unbreakable because they’re made from plastic or nylon. And they’re great for patients with sensitive skin since they don’t contain chemicals, unlike conventional dentures.

Note that full dentures cost varies due to the materials used and the complexities involved in making one. However, flexible full dentures are slightly pricier than their traditional counterparts.

Below are some of the additional benefits of wearing flexible full dentures.

• They’re hypoallergenic: Flexible dentures were initially made for patients with allergies to acrylic and metal alloy. As such, they’re free from Bisphenol A and other potential allergens.
• High flexibility: Conventional dentures may not fit patients with structural issues in their mouths because they’re less pliable.
• Provides an overall better fit: Dentures are customised to mould into a person’s unique oral anatomy. Flexible dentures offer an overall better fit compared to traditional acrylic dentures.
• Offers natural appearance: Flexible full dentures don’t require adhesives or metal clasps and thus look more natural.
• Highly resistant to odours and stains: Whilst plastics are known to absorb odours, flexible dentures are made from particular types of thermoplastic resins that don’t retain smell and stains.
• Convenient: Flexible full dentures can be manufactured quickly and don’t require multiple fitting sessions. They’re also lightweight and don’t need significant adjustments from the wearer.
• Durable: While light and liable, flexible full dentures are durable and are capable of withstanding pressure, stress and impact from oral activities like chewing.

Disadvantages of flexible full dentures

Despite numerous benefits, these removable dental solutions do have a few disadvantages. They include:

• Slightly higher costs: Flexible full dentures cost more than traditional tooth replacements because of their complexity.
• Neither repairable nor adjustable: If something happens to flexible full dentures, they’d have to be re-made because they can’t be fixed.
• Increased risk of bacterial accumulation: These dental appliances may facilitate bacterial build-up in the mouth because of the tight fit.

Flexible partial dentures cost

With the advantages outnumbering the cons, you might ask, how much are full dentures worth? The quick answer is, it depends. When creating dentures, several factors are considered, such as the materials used, the scope of work needed, frequency of appointments, your dentist’s specialty, and other related dental jobs that need to be performed.

Generally, a set of acrylic dentures can set you back AUD$2,448, while a lower or upper denture costs AUD$1,350 on average, based on a 2019 survey done by the Australian Dental Association. Moreover, flexible dentures cost from AUD$900 to AUD$4,000. However, this depends on the factors mentioned earlier and how many teeth need to be replaced. As such, the latter is the more expensive option when replacing your teeth.

Concluding thoughts

Flexible full dentures may be costlier than traditional oral appliances, but they provide more benefits, making them a worthwhile investment. Adding a few hundred dollars to what you’d typically spend for regular acrylic dentures is worth the comfort, convenience and perfect fit.

If you want to replace your denture with a flexible type, visit your dentist to discuss whether this is the best option based on your circumstances and lifestyle.

References

1. “Flexible Denture”, Source: http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/flexible-denture/
2. “What Are Flexible Dentures?”, Source: https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/dentures/what-are-flexible-dentures
3. “What Are Flexible Dentures?”, Source: https://www.polident.com/en-nz/denture-journey/preparing-for-tooth-loss/what-are-flexible-dentures/
4. “How much do dentures cost?”, Source: https://www.canstar.com.au/health-insurance/dentures-cost/