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Quick Question re Partial Dentures

C

Corky

Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2010
Messages
29
Former dental phobic here - amazing what a kind and gentle dentist can do but sadly he's moved away from my town now. My new dentist is also very nice so no problem there.

I had immediate dentures - had them now for a year and I'm getting the permanent ones made at the moment.

My question is, are NHS dentures as good as private dentures?

The reason I'm asking is that I had the wax try-ins today. My immediate dentures have three teeth (centre) on the lower plate. The wax try-ins had only two and it looked terrible - made my bottom lip sink in and aged me by about 10 years. Dentist has said they will put in three teeth and has taken an impression of my lower denture to get it right.

Was wondering if this is the NHS's new way of saving money - less teeth in the plate :giggle:
 
I think it is down to the skill of the dentist and the lab where they have them made. My mum has just had some new ones and hers look lovely the same as her old ones. She is 80 and has had false front teeth since she was 21 so if her teeth were terrible it would show straight away. She had NHS ones as well.

If the teeth are not right ask the dentist to alter them until they are. :grin:
 
Nice idea but it costs the same to the NHS whether there are 1 teeth or 14 on the denture :)

Denture teeth come in packs from the suppliers and you have to buy a pack of 6 front teeth and/or 8 back teeth no matter how many are on the denture.
 
Maybe there were two spare teeth from one of the packs. Waste not, want not I suppose. Seriously, the lower denture looked really awful. Dentist's sent the wax try-in back with the instructions of putting 3 teeth in the new partial, same as what I've got now. I have 5 of my own teeth left on the bottom, at each side of the 3 centre front denture teeth so they hold the lower partial in very snugly. Top partial is a bit different - need to use glue with them as I still have my 4 front teeth up top but nothing on the sides so getting the suction doesn't happen.

Would still like to know if private dentures are better made than those made under the NHS as I may save up for a private set of partials if they are. Although my immediates have been good (can eat anything) the one thing I have found is they are very thick. Not so noticeable with the lower partial but I really do notice it with the top partial.
 
Last edited:
Sorry, got diverted away from your question. Yes, generally private teeth are a bit "nicer", usually more expensive brand of false tooth used, which look a bit more realistic, slightly more time and effort in the lab in terms of shaping up the gum work etc.
 
Thanks Gordon. Will say that my immediates have been very good. Have never had even one sore spot with them and I was able very quickly to eat things I hadn't enjoyed for years - like nuts. Considering that immediates are a lot of guesswork, I really can't complain - except for the upper being too thick. It's the palate part that is thick - approx 4 - 5mm thick at the thickest point and in comparison to the (odd) shape of the roof of my mouth is too "rounded" if that makes sense.
 
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