Dentures in Cobham
Comfortable, carefully planned options for replacing missing teeth.
A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth, made to fit your mouth and designed around how you speak, eat and smile. Dentures can replace a single tooth, several teeth or a full arch, and in some cases they can be stabilised by implants. Dentures take some getting used to and are not the same as having your own teeth, so we plan them carefully and are honest with you about what to expect.
Suitability
Who this may suit
- Assessment of the gums, ridges and any remaining teeth, with x-rays where needed.
- Any decay, gum disease or unrestorable teeth identified and dealt with as part of the plan.
- Remaining teeth strong enough to support a partial denture where one is planned.
- Willingness to persevere through an adaptation period and attend for adjustments.
What a denture can do for you
Replacing several teeth at once
A denture can replace many missing teeth in one restoration, including a full arch, which is often not practical with bridges.
No preparation of other teeth
Unlike a conventional bridge, a denture does not usually require healthy neighbouring teeth to be shaped or crowned.
Supporting appearance, speech and eating
Restoring the missing teeth and the surrounding contours can help with speaking clearly, chewing more comfortably and the appearance of your smile. It will feel different from having your own teeth, and adapting takes time.
Risks & considerations
Risks and important considerations
- Sore spots and rubbing, particularly in the first weeks, needing adjustment.
- Difficulty with speech, taste or chewing while you adapt, which for some people takes several weeks.
- Reduced stability, especially with lower full dentures, and occasional movement when eating or talking.
- Increased plaque around remaining teeth and gums if the denture is not cleaned thoroughly, which can lead to decay or gum problems.
- Denture stomatitis or fungal infection if a denture is worn continuously or not cleaned properly.
- Fracture of the denture, or loss of a tooth or clasp from it.
- Changes to fit as gums and bone remodel, requiring reline or replacement.
- Extra load on the teeth supporting a partial denture, which are monitored at your reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Full dentures for a complete upper or lower arch, partial dentures where natural teeth remain, immediate dentures fitted at the time teeth are removed, and — where clinically appropriate and confirmed by an implant assessment — implant-retained dentures. Which design suits you depends on your remaining teeth, your gums and ridges, your bite and your preferences.
It varies from person to person. Many people adapt over a few weeks, some take longer, and a small number find a removable denture difficult to tolerate. Eating soft foods at first, practising speaking and attending your adjustment appointments all help.
Take the denture out and clean it over a bowl or basin of water twice a day with a soft denture brush and soap or a denture cleaner — not abrasive toothpaste. Clean your gums, tongue and any remaining teeth separately. Unless we advise otherwise, leave the denture out overnight, stored in water or a cleaning solution.
Often yes — a fracture, a lost tooth or a broken clasp can frequently be repaired, sometimes by the laboratory in a day or two. Never attempt a repair with household glue. Bring all the pieces in so we can assess whether a repair, a reline or a new denture is the right answer.
How denture treatment works
- 1
Consultation and assessment
We examine your gums, ridges and remaining teeth, review your medical history, discuss what you find difficult now and what you would like to change, and take x-rays where needed.
- 2
Discussing the options and a written estimate
We compare partial, full, immediate and, where appropriate, implant-retained designs, alongside bridges and implants, and give you a written estimate before treatment starts.
- 3
Preparatory treatment
Any decay, gum treatment or extractions needed to give the denture a healthy foundation are completed first, or planned alongside an immediate denture.
Paying for treatment
Finance options available
Practi
Finance options are available at Cobham Dental through Practi. Your dentist prepares a treatment guide, you choose to pay using finance and complete a short application. Our team will confirm the available terms, any interest payable and the monthly amount before you decide — finance is subject to status and to the provider's terms.
Finance options are available, subject to status. Ask our team for the current terms and a representative example before you commit.
Your options
Treatment choices we may discuss
Full dentures
A complete arch of replacement teeth for an upper or lower jaw where no natural teeth remain. Retention comes from the fit against your gums and ridges, which differs from person to person.
Partial dentures
For one or several missing teeth where natural teeth remain. Designs vary — acrylic, or a metal framework with clasps and rests that spreads the load onto the remaining teeth — and the choice is made after assessing those teeth.
Immediate dentures
Made in advance and fitted at the time teeth are removed, so you are not left without teeth. Because the gums and bone change shape while they heal, an immediate denture normally needs adjusting, relining or replacing once healing has settled.
Implant-retained dentures
Where it is clinically appropriate, implants can be used to hold a denture more securely. Suitability depends on your bone, gum health, medical history and an implant assessment, so this cannot be assumed in advance — it is not an option for everybody.
Adjustments, relines and repairs
Small adjustments for sore spots are routine, especially with a new denture. Where appropriate, a denture can be relined to improve the fit as your gums change, or repaired if it fractures or loses a tooth. Whether a repair or reline is sensible depends on the condition of the denture itself.
Replacement
Dentures eventually need remaking as they wear and as your mouth changes shape. We assess fit, wear, appearance and the health of the tissues underneath at your routine examinations.
Important limitations
What this treatment cannot do
- A denture will not feel exactly like your own natural teeth. Most people notice it and need time to adapt.
- Speech, taste and the sensation of food can be affected at first, particularly with a full upper denture.
- Lower full dentures are generally less stable than upper ones because there is less surface for them to sit on.
- Gums and bone continue to change shape after teeth are lost, so the fit alters over time and needs reviewing.
- We cannot give a fixed lifespan. How long a denture serves you depends on your mouth, the design and how it is cared for.
- Dentures must be taken out for cleaning and normally left out overnight unless we advise otherwise.
- Not every denture can be repaired or relined — sometimes remaking it is the better option.
- Implant-retained dentures depend on suitability that can only be judged after an implant assessment.
Alternatives
Other options we may discuss
Dental bridges
A fixed option supported by the teeth either side of the gap, so nothing is taken in and out. It usually means preparing those teeth, and is best suited to smaller gaps with strong neighbours. See our dental bridges page.
Dental implants
Implants replace teeth without relying on the neighbouring teeth, and can also be used to stabilise a denture. They require surgery, suitable bone and gum health, and longer overall treatment. Our implant with crown fee is published on the plan and fees page.
Leaving the gap
Not replacing missing teeth is sometimes reasonable, depending on which teeth are missing and how stable your bite is. We will explain the possible consequences so you can decide.
Repairing or relining an existing denture
Where your current denture is basically sound, an adjustment, reline or repair may be all that is needed rather than a new one.
Technology
What we use at the practice
iTero digital scanning
A digital scanner used instead of conventional impressions for aligner and restorative planning, with an on-screen simulation of the planned result.
Digital x-rays
Digital radiographs taken in the surgery and displayed on screen so your clinician can talk you through the findings.
Frequently asked questions
There is no fixed interval. Replacement is considered when the fit has changed as your gums and bone remodel, when the teeth or the base are worn, when it can no longer be adjusted or relined, or when the appearance no longer suits you. We assess this at your routine examinations.
A denture that is held in place by implants placed in the jaw, which usually improves stability compared with a denture resting on the gums alone. It is only possible where an implant assessment confirms you are suitable — bone, gum health and medical history all matter — so it is not something every patient can have.
A bridge is fixed in place and does not come out, but relies on the teeth either side and usually means preparing them; it suits smaller gaps with strong neighbouring teeth. A denture can replace more teeth, needs no preparation of other teeth and is usually less expensive, but it is removable and takes adapting to. Your clinical circumstances and your own preferences both count.
Implants are fixed, do not rely on other teeth and help maintain the bone in the gap, but they involve surgery, need suitable bone and gum health and take longer. A denture is quicker, non-surgical and can replace many teeth at once, but is removable and needs ongoing maintenance. Sometimes the two are combined as an implant-retained denture. We will set out what is realistic for your mouth.
Denture fees depend on the type, the number of teeth and the materials involved, so we do not publish a single figure. You will receive a written estimate after your consultation, and our published fees for related treatment — including implant with crown — are on the plan and fees page. Practi finance is available on eligible treatment, subject to status.
Concerns this may help with
What patients come to us about
Related treatments
You may also want to read
- ImplantsReplacing missing teeth with fixed, natural-looking restorations.
- Dental bridgesFixed replacement of missing teeth supported by your own teeth, compared honestly with implants.
- Dental crownsRestoring and protecting heavily damaged, fractured or root-filled teeth.
- ExtractionsCareful removal, including wisdom teeth, with clinicians experienced in oral surgery.
- Gum disease treatmentGum-health assessment, non-surgical periodontal treatment and ongoing maintenance.
- Dental examinationThorough check-ups including x-rays and screening.
Not ready to book?
Our treatment coordinators can talk you through the options and costs with no obligation, or arrange a callback at a time that suits you.
Considering a denture, or need an existing one reviewed?
Book directly into our diaries online, or ask us a question first — we're happy to help.