Sourcing artificial denture teeth from China

Zero duty on prefabricated denture teeth

Heading 9021 covers orthopaedic appliances, artificial body parts and compensatory devices. This guide concerns prefabricated artificial teeth supplied for denture manufacture. Plastic teeth fall under 9021 21 10 00; teeth of other materials fall under 9021 21 90 00. The table separates anterior and posterior products within those material lines.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, both artificial-teeth lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. Neither line lists anti-dumping or countervailing duty, a suspension or an attached import control. Medical-device market requirements still need checking separately.

Confirm the commodity code using the material composition and supplied product description. Finished dental fittings are a separate line. See dental implants and the wider heading for related products.

Specify tooth moulds, shades and base compatibility

Give the factory the material formulation, anterior or posterior tooth type, mould reference, dimensions, shade reference and required assortment. Approve physical shade samples under agreed lighting. Specify translucency, surface finish, occlusal form and how teeth are arranged and identified on each card.

Ask your dental laboratory to trial the teeth with its intended denture-base material and processing method. Agree checks for bonding, grinding, polishing, wear and colour stability. Request test reports covering the supplied formulation rather than a different tooth range.

For the Great Britain market, manufacturers must meet applicable medical-device marking and conformity assessment requirements. A manufacturer outside the UK must appoint a UK Responsible Person, and devices must be registered before being placed on that market. The importer must notify the manufacturer or responsible person of its intention to import; they submit the importer details.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 20,000 prefabricated plastic denture teeth in assorted moulds and shades, illustrative under 9021 21 10 00, invoiced at £10,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £10,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,900, so it is £2,180. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Mould and assortment: compare tooth dimensions, left and right positions, mould references and card contents against the approved order.

Shade and finish: compare production teeth with retained samples under agreed lighting; check for shade variation, bubbles, cracks, chips and rough edges.

Laboratory performance: trial production samples with the agreed base material and process; check retention, bonding and finish after adjustment.

Documents and packing: match product references to conformity documents and registration records; check batch identification, instructions and protective packing. Arrange quality inspection against the agreed specification.

What goes wrong

A matching shade name can conceal a visible colour difference. Mixed moulds, missing tooth positions and chipped edges make cards difficult to use. Teeth that look acceptable loose can bond poorly to the laboratory's base material. Keep approved samples and require written agreement before changing the formulation or tooth range.

Documents for a different manufacturer or product range do not resolve the shipment's compliance questions. Check the exact manufacturer and product references before dispatch. Registration is not regulatory approval, so avoid treating a registration record as a substitute for conformity evidence.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.