What are dentures made of?

Dentures are most often made from plastic or porcelain with an acrylic or plastic base, notes Tom Scheve for HowStuffWorks. The specific type of dentures an individual needs is mostly dependant on whether he has partial or full loss of his teeth.

Dentures were being used as early as 700 B.C., says Scheve. The individual's teeth were bound together with gold and a human or animal tooth was placed inside of the band. Dentures have advanced to such a degree they are nearly indistinguishable from real teeth. By wearing dentures, an individual who lost his teeth to a periodontal disease or accident can smile with more confidence.