Partial Dental Costs vs Full Denture

There can be quite a difference between the prices of partial dentures and full dentures, and you may be surprised to learn why. To start, let's review the purpose of each type.

Full dentures are also referred to as complete dentures because they replace the entire set of natural teeth. The upper denture has a pink denture base that extends across the roof of the mouth to aid suction, which helps keep the denture in place. The lower denture is U-shaped and hugs the bottom ridge of the jaw. For patients who have gone without teeth for a while, full dentures can make a dramatic difference in the way they look. These dentures will fill out the mouth area, relieving that caved-in appearance.

By comparison, a partial denture only replaces some of the teeth while the rest of the natural teeth remain. A partial plate usually consists of one or more denture teeth resting in a pink acrylic base that may contain a band of metal for reinforcement. Either metal clips may be used for attachment or the partial may actually be bonded, or glued, to the remaining natural teeth left on either side of the intended denture bridge.

One of the most important differences between full and partial dentures is the amount of custom work involved. The full denture is usually a pretty straight forward job and does not require an especially tricky measuring. Partial dentures can be a whole new ball game.

Since partial dentures need to fit exactly between the existing teeth, there is no wiggle room in their fit. And there is an added consideration with the manufacture of partial dentures. Sometimes it makes sense to construct a partial denture that leaves one or more spaces in the middle to accomodate existing natural teeth. While this gives additional stability to the denture, it also requires some very exacting measurements to assure everything fits together properly. This is where the skilled denturists are separated from the posers.

As you may have already surmised, partial dentures have the potential to actually cost more than a full set of dentures, though a straightforward partial denture placed in the front of the jaws will likely cost a little less than a full set because the less material needed should result in a lower cost.

You should now have a working understanding of what is involved when determining the cost difference between partial and full set dentures.