How to Shop For & Price Dentures

Taking the step to replace lost or damaged teeth can be daunting. The number of options available along with questions about cost and time often encourage avoidance, which in turn increases the risk of further damage to your mouth. (Infections and bone loss are common in patients who delay treatment for long periods.) This guide will help you determine what kind of dentures is best for you.

Things You'll Need

• Dental X-ray
• Copy of insurance coverage

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Instructions

Denture Decisions

• 1

  Get a dental exam. Before you can make any decisions about what kind of dentures to purchase, you need to find out the condition of your existing teeth.

  A full dental X-ray will make it possible for your dentist to assess the situation and determine which teeth are beyond saving, which teeth might be saved by way of fillings or root canals, and which teeth are healthy enough to potentially provide support for a prosthetic.

• 2

  Read your dental insurance policy closely. Insurance often covers dentures, but it may set limits on overall cost.

  If you don't have insurance, look into public health dental programs in your area.

• 3

  Save the good teeth or don't. You'll need to decide what lengths you're willing to go to in order to save what's salvageable, and that decision may in part be based on your insurance coverage. Natural teeth are always better, but salvaging a tooth can be expensive when a root canal and crown are required.

  Decide between full or partial dentures. Partial dentures are often more comfortable than full dentures because they're anchored to natural teeth, which makes them sit more firmly in the mouth. However, they're also more expensive because of the precision required for custom design.

• 4

  Decide between conventional or immediate dentures. The procedure for conventional dentures occurs over a period of weeks, whereas immediate dentures are placed the same day that the teeth are extracted. This too may be determined by your insurance coverage. Immediate dentures are significantly more expensive than conventional dentures.

• 5

  Decide between a prosthodontist and a cosmetic dentist. Fees for a cosmetic dentist can be up to 30 percent lower than the fees for a prosthodondist. Prosthodontists are required to take an additional 3 years of training and thus are more qualified to deal with complications.

  Find your provider. Call local providers and ask them for specific quotes on your dentures based on what you've decided you want and can afford.