Dentures: Complete Guide to Types, Costs & Benefits
Dentures have been one of the most popular solutions for replacing missing teeth for decades. Our guide will outline the different types of dentures, including how much they cost and the advantages and drawbacks of each. We hope this will help you decide what option is best for your situation. Of course if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our Tower Dental clinic in Balwyn.
Dentures Balwyn
How Much Do Dentures Cost?
Full upper and lower standard acrylic dentures cost $2,448 on average, according to the 2019 Australian Dental Association Fee Survey. For either an upper or lower denture, the cost is $1,350 on average.
It’s also important to consider extra factors that may influence the overall cost of your dentures. These may include the type of treatment or the amount of preparation required, the number of appointments you need, the type of specialist used and whether any of your natural teeth need to be removed.
The type of material you choose can also affect the price. Acrylic dentures range from a standard acrylic through to a hard-wearing, more expensive variety. Middle of the range, upper and lower acrylic dentures can cost on average around $3,500.
Whichever you choose, you often get what you pay for. It’s important to consider all options when choosing a denture, keeping in mind that poorer-quality materials will tend to wear much faster than higher-quality ones.
How Are Dentures Fitted?
Your denture will be designed just for you. Your dentist will take an impression of the area with dental putty before the denture is made to make sure it fits well. The impression and precise measurements of your mouth will be given to a dental technician, who will build your dentures to the correct size and shape to make them feel and look as natural as possible.
Before having your denture fitted, you may have more teeth removed. This might be to allow for a full set of dentures to be fitted or because your other teeth are already too decayed or loose to save. You may be able to have full dentures fitted straight afterwards or your dentist may recommend that your gums are left to heal for up to a couple of months. This might mean that the dentures fit better. If you have your dentures fitted straight away, they could need adjusting later to improve the fit. Your dentist will help you decide which option is best for you.
Dentures Deepdene
How Do You Keep Your Dentures In Place?
Partial dentures often have clasps that clip on to the teeth next to your denture and help to keep it in place. Full upper dentures cover the roof of your mouth (palate). A very thin layer of saliva between your palate and the denture creates suction, which keeps it firmly in position. Your facial muscles and tongue also help to keep it in place. Full lower dentures are often more difficult to keep in place because there is less support from your gums. With a little practice, you will learn to balance the denture between your cheeks and tongue.
If you find your dentures slip at first when you laugh or cough, try biting down gently and swallowing and that should put them back in place.
You can use denture adhesive cream (fixative), although most people don’t need to. Some people find it helps with their confidence while they’re getting used to new dentures. It takes time to get used to wearing dentures. They’re not a permanent solution for missing teeth, dentures are removable and shouldn’t be worn at night. Poorly fitting dentures can make your mouth very sore, so if you are concerned about the fit, see your dentist.
Dentures Mont Albert
How Do I Know If I Need Dentures?
If you need dentures, you will probably have experienced significant tooth loss and be missing most or all of your teeth. A partial denture is suitable for those who still have some natural teeth remaining. There are several factors that warrant wearing dentures, even for younger people, such as gum disease, tooth decay, or dental abnormalities such as ectodermal dysplasia. There is no age limit on having a beautiful, healthy smile!
Types of Dentures Available
Whether you are missing one, two or all of your natural teeth, your Tower Dental approved dentist can create comfortable and natural looking complete or partial dentures to restore your smile.
Complete Dentures
Full or complete dentures replace all of the natural teeth in either the upper or lower jaws -these suit patients who have lost most or all of their natural teeth.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures fill in the spaces left by lost or missing teeth and are attached to your natural teeth with metal clasps or devices called precision attachments. These suit patients who have lost just one or a few of their natural teeth and wish to fill in the gap(s) left behind.
Dentures Surrey Hills
Are dentures covered by Medicare?
Medicare does not cover the costs of dentures. However, it may cover the cost of removing your natural teeth before dentures are fitted, if it is deemed medically necessary.
Are dentures covered by private health insurance?
Whether you’re covered for dentures depends on the type of private health insurance you have. Most health insurance extras policies offer the options of general and/or major dental cover. General dental usually includes a level of cover for more minor procedures such as check-ups, cleans, fillings and X-rays. Major dental insurance, on the other hand, often provides a level of cover for more significant procedures such as dentures, endodontic services (root canal therapy), crowns, veneers and bridges.
Many health insurance policies have a limit of one upper and one lower denture every three years. Dr Repairs, re-aligning and general maintenance of dentures typically have different limits within a policy, so please check with your provider.
Waiting periods for dentures can vary, but an insurer will generally require you to be with the fund for a minimum of 12 months before you can claim. However, some insurers offer dental health cover with no waiting periods.
Once your dental practitioner supplies you with a quote, it could be worth contacting your insurer to find out about your limit, your waiting period and your overall out-of-pocket expenses before proceeding.
If you’re aged 65 or over and a pensioner, you may be eligible for free dental care via a state or territory government program.
Dentures Camberwell
Is It Painful To Get Dentures?
It is normal to experience a small amount of irritation but this disappears as your mouth becomes adjusted to your dentures. You may experience pain and discomfort where you have had teeth extracted, however, the severity of pain varies. As dentures are tailored to your personal specifications, you can have your dentures adjusted through the normal healing process to guarantee a comfortable fit.
How Long Do Dentures Last?
If cared for properly, dentures are expected to last up to 5-8 years before needing replacement. During this time, they wear out and your mouth changes shape. This is why your dentures will eventually need to be relined or remade to remain as safe, comfortable and natural looking as possible.
Dentures Hawthorn
Benefits and Problems
Benefits
- Improved appearance. Dentures can help increase self-confidence and self-esteem, replacing missing teeth or teeth that may have been worn or decayed, while providing the correct support for the cheeks and lips.
- Improved ability to eat and speak. Properly made dentures can help improve speech and enable patients to comfortably eat a greater variety of foods.
- Affordability. Dentures tend to be the most affordable solution for replacing missing teeth and treatment is the least invasive option.
Problems
- Difficulty eating certain foods. While dentures can restore a person’s ability to eat, certain foods, particularly those that are hard or sticky can still present a problem. Eating these foods could cause pain, may dislodge the dentures or will even risk breaking them.
- Difficulty speaking. Initially dentures can cause problems with speech. Patients may find their dentures click or whistle. These issues generally disappear once a patient becomes accustomed to wearing their dentures.
- Discomfort. Dentures can feel very strange initially and although patients may soon get used to them, the overall comfort and fit of this appliance can be an issue. This can remain a problem, particularly as the gums and jawbone will change shape over time, increasing the likelihood of dentures becoming ill-fitting.
- Care and maintenance. Dentures must be kept meticulously clean to maintain the health of the gums. They can also be quite fragile and if broken must be professionally mended.
Caring for Dentures
Dentures are quite fragile and will break if dropped so try to handle them over a basin of water or a clean towel. It’s important to remove your denture for daily cleaning. Use a denture brush as this will be softer than an ordinary toothbrush which is too hard and likely to damage your denture. Clean your denture with mild dish soap or a cleanser specifically designed for dentures. Ordinary toothpaste and household cleaners are much too harsh and could scratch the surface of your denture. Don’t try to sterilize your denture with boiling water as the heat could distort it. Once it is clean and while it is not being worn, soak it in a proprietary cleaning solution or in plain water to help keep it fresh and to maintain its shape.
Dentures Kew
Denture Alternatives
Dental bridges are a possible alternative treatment to a partial denture. A bridge is attached to adjacent teeth and it’s important these teeth are strong and healthy enough to support the restoration.
Dental implants are self-supporting, using titanium posts that are inserted into the jawbone to hold a crown, bridge or implant supported denture. Both of these options are more expensive than dentures but can offer better aesthetics and a more permanent and stable solution to tooth loss.
As with all dental procedures it’s important to do your research and ask as many questions as possible. If you would like to discuss your options with us please feel free to call us, we’ll be more than happy to answer all your questions.
For dentures near Balwyn, Kew, Camberwell, Hawthorn, Surrey Hills, Mont Albert & Deepdene, please call Tower Dental today!