Questions/advice on getting dentures

J

Jilly

New Member
I cannot get a dentist to answer my questions about costs. They want to do a complete workup and then tell me. I only want to know if I can afford them and I know there is a lot to it, and costs will vary, but they won't even indicate if it's $1300 ish or $340,000 ish. I can't sell my house to get new teeth. I'm in California. Thanks for any light you can shed on this!!
 

Thank you so much, applecruncher!! My searches never came up with this site. Thanks!!!
 

You're welcome. And if you are anywhere near a college that has a dental school, check them out. They do GREAT work for about half the price. Everything is supervised, checked, and double-checked. Good luck! :)
 
Jilly... I just got full dentures a year ago.. First of all... How many teeth do you need extracted? Most dentists charge by the tooth.. I had to have only 8 teeth pulled as I already had bottom dentures... that was around $1800.. THEN..... I needed a top temporary denture.. and then my top an bottom permanent dentures... Those were $2500 each... So... $2500 X 3 = $7500 Plus the extraction... of $1800... So nowhere near $340,000. Keep in mind... my dentures were on the high end as I went to a Prosthodontist.. ( a denture specialist). You should be able to find a perfectly good and capable dentist for much less..
 
Since having my teeth kicked out in Korea in 1953 I have worn full dentures for 60 years. I am on my second set, They fit well and I can attack the toughest of steaks. The last full set was purchased in New Zealand for less than $500 USD. They look fine & don't slip.
 
Jilly said:
I cannot get a dentist to answer my questions about costs. They want to do a complete workup and then tell me. I only want to know if I can afford them and I know there is a lot to it, and costs will vary, but they won't even indicate if it's $1300 ish or $340,000 ish. I can't sell my house to get new teeth. I'm in California. Thanks for any light you can shed on this!!
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My wife had several teeth pulled and got dentures about 4 years ago. As I recall, the total cost was in the $4,000 range...about half of which was covered by our dental insurance. She went to a Dental Clinic that specializes in dentures, and makes them on site. It was one day for the extractions, then the next day for the dentures...with temporary "cushioning" as her mouth healed. She had 3 or 4 "fittings" over the first few weeks, as her gums healed, and then everything settled down nicely. She has a 7 year warranty on the dentures, and has minimal problems after the first 6 or 8 weeks.
 
Much thanks to all, DonM, QuickSilver, Lon, applecruncher! This is all so helpful. I can't wait to get started! Best to all of you!
 
Lost the wisdoms years ago. I have two missing molars on the bottom and don't miss them.

I have all of my "front teeth" none of which are filled or capped and are visible when I smile (Which is often.)

I can bite into apples, steak, peanuts and pop corn and also ice cream with no problems nor discomfort.

Must be my good genes. Some folks half my age have to look at their teeth in a glass by their bedside.
 
I'm very happy to have my teeth in a cup... in the bathroom.. So much better than what I had to put up with. If you are lucky enough to have been born with good teeth.. That's great... If not... those in the cup are a GodSend.
 
You are a lucky duck, my teeth were bad from when I was a kid. I've got a top denture. Fortunate I had dental insurance at the time. The good news is they're prettier than the real ones, bad news is they've never been super comfortable. If money had been no object I would have looked into implants. Oh other good news is that unless you break them somehow, dentures don't get cavities, jus' sayin';)
 
fureverywhere said:
You are a lucky duck, my teeth were bad from when I was a kid. I've got a top denture. Fortunate I had dental insurance at the time. The good news is they're prettier than the real ones, bad news is they've never been super comfortable. If money had been no object I would have looked into implants. Oh other good news is that unless you break them somehow, dentures don't get cavities, jus' sayin';)
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Or gum abscesses...
 
What an absolute delightful forum to have stumbled into and be a part of....
Many years of many tooth issues beginning with a teenage botched root canal,culminating in having lost more teeth than I had left.
Fast forward to 2010,my 1st set,top and bottom were an absolute nightmare,I pretty much adjusted to just using them for social purposes.
Sadly,I wasn't aware they could be realigned and adjusted,I had state health insurance that expired when I found a job.
Last year,after receiving a cash settlement from a compensation case,I decided new teeth were the 2nd order of business,1st was a car:)
The dentist actually walked in with my top plate and asked if those were actually my teeth,I had a host of sarcastic answers but just nodded and questioned,the answer was these are so far off your bite they might as well be someone elses...
At least it wasn't my imagination.
Long story,happy ending,my new ones are a huge improvement, the bottoms still "float",I'm told this is common as there's no suction.
Fixodent is a huge help.
 
I have worn full dentures(upper &lower) since 1958. My second set was purchased in New Zealand for $375 NZD in 1998. The first set was purchased in San Francisco for as I recall $250. Much of the costs depends on if they are pulling teeth and doing dentures at the same time. I would suggest that you consider one of the advertised discount dentist operations that we see on TV and Billboards. They will do a excellent job and you shouldn't have to pay more than $500 USD.
 
QuickSilver said:
I'm very happy to have my teeth in a cup... in the bathroom.. So much better than what I had to put up with. If you are lucky enough to have been born with good teeth.. That's great... If not... those in the cup are a GodSend.
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They most certainly are. I was cursed with horrible teeth. I flossed I brushed I gargled, and yet I had nothing but pain and problems all of my life. I got my uppers in my late thirties and the lowers several years later. I am happy as can be,much happier and much handsomer. I my biggest problem is salads, I can not cut lettuce with them, but that is why there is a knife beside my plate.
 
I went to a 1-800-denture type place this time.
Impressions in the a.m.,dentures ready by 3:30 in the afternoon.
I'm satisfied, 700.00 was the price tag.
No extractions obviously.
If I'm rich instead of beautiful in my next life,I'll try implants,LOLOLOLOLOL
 
Giantsfan1954 said:
I went to a 1-800-denture type place this time.
Impressions in the a.m.,dentures ready by 3:30 in the afternoon.
I'm satisfied, 700.00 was the price tag.
No extractions obviously.
If I'm rich instead of beautiful in my next life,I'll try implants,LOLOLOLOLOL
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Don't give up on implants. I have a Hader bar on my lower jaw that holds the denture in position. Today that same thing can be done with two implants in the lower jaw that will hold the denture in place. It's not cheap but it is a good compromise between having a conventional lower denture and a full set of implants.
 


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