What is cobalt chrome denture?

[Dina1]

Hi

I have had a plastic denture for the past 10 years and over the years the denture seems to have become looser and looser and I have to use poligrip to keep the denture in place which is very messy.

My own dentist has recommended having a cobalt chrome denture with hooks made and says it would stay in my mouth better than a plastic denture. He is quoting me £600 for a new plastic denture and £1000 for a cobalt chrome denture.

I would like to know how does a cobalt chrome denture differ to a plastic denture and is it really worth the extra money? How long does it take to make either of these types of dentures?

[Dr Mohsen J. Esfahani]

Thank you for your question.

A cobalt chrome denture is a metal denture that in the case of the upper denture is usually horseshoe shaped and does not fully cover the roof of the mouth (palate). The plastic upper denture usually covers the roof of the mouth and is more bulky.

The fact that the roof of the mouth is not covered by the cobalt chrome denture, means that many patients prefer the cobalt chrome denture to the acrylic denture.

However the chrome denture is usually more expensive and its not so easy to add more denture teeth to a metal denture compared to a plastic denture.