Dentures – Doylestown, PA

Factors That Affect the Cost of Dentures

To determine how much your dentures will cost, your denture dentist in Doylestown will first need to examine your mouth, talk to you about your options, and devise a treatment plan. From there, our team can discuss the fees associated with your new teeth. Some of the variables affecting your final costs include:

• Prep work – Many patients need to complete one or more preparatory treatments before getting dentures, such as gum disease therapy or tooth extractions. These procedures increase your overall treatment costs.
• Number of missing teeth – Replacing an entire arch with a full denture generally costs more than filling a few gaps with a partial denture.
• Materials used – Dentures can be made from various materials, some more expensive than others. However, cheaper dentures tend to be flimsier and less comfortable, so it’s worth investing in a solution that lasts longer and feels more natural.

Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?

Yes, implant dentures cost more up-front than traditional prosthetics. After all, you have to pay for multiple dental implants and their surgical placement. However, implant dentures can actually save you money in the future.

While regular dentures need to be replaced every seven to 10 years, an implant denture can last for 30 years or longer with the right care. Therefore, you won’t need to spend money on frequent replacements – just a higher initial cost. Implant dentures are also better for your oral health, so you can avoid large dental bills to treat these health issues. In the end, implant dentures pay for themselves many times over!

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?

All dental insurance plans are different, but many of them will cover dentures to some extent. After you’ve paid your deductible for the year, your plan will typically pay for around 50% of the cost of dentures until you reach your annual maximum. Of course, this amount varies from plan to plan.

If you have dental insurance, you can count on our team to help you save. We’re participate with Delta Dental Premier, and we’ll gladly file claims and handle the paperwork for all other dental plans. All you have to do is give us your insurance information and we’ll take it from there!

Other Ways to Make Dentures Affordable

Besides dental insurance, we have other methods of providing affordable dentures in Doylestown. For example, we’ve helped many patients make their treatments more budget-friendly by helping them apply for a CareCredit payment plan. Qualified patients can split up their care costs into monthly installments, which usually come with extremely low or even zero interest rates!

How Long Do Dentures Last?

Today’s dentures are made from highly durable materials, but they’re unfortunately not meant to be permanent. After tooth loss, your jawbone naturally changes shape over time. This means that no matter how well your denture fits at first, it will need periodic adjustments and eventually need to be replaced altogether. If you take good care of your dentures, you can expect them to last for seven to 10 years.

Can I Sleep While Wearing My Dentures?

When your denture dentist in Doylestown first gives you your new prosthetic, he’ll most likely advise you to keep it in your mouth for the next 24 hours straight. This gives your mouth a chance to adjust. Afterward, though, we strongly recommend that you always take your denture out before bed. Not only does this create the perfect opportunity to clean your dentures by soaking them, but it also gives your jaw and gum tissue a break from holding your dentures in place throughout the day.

Can I Clean My Dentures with Regular Toothpaste?

Keeping your dentures clean is crucial for many reasons; it prevents discoloration, odor, and bacteria buildup while helping your prosthetic last longer. However, you should NOT clean your dentures with ordinary toothpaste. It can actually be abrasive to the materials that dentures are crafted from, leaving tiny scratches that lead to long-term damage.

Instead, be sure to gently brush your dentures with a soft-bristled toothbrush and liquid hand soap. Ideally, you should do this after every meal and snack. Also, don’t forget to soak them in denture cleanser overnight.

Is It Difficult to Speak with Dentures?

There’s a pervasive stereotype of denture wearers sounding muffled when they speak, but you shouldn’t need to worry about that. While it can take some time to get used to talking with dentures, it will eventually feel just like talking with your natural teeth.

The adjustment period of learning to speak with dentures can vary from person to person. Most patients take somewhere from several weeks to a few months. Luckily, you can speed up the process by practicing often. In particular, reading aloud and singing your favorite songs are great ways to grow accustomed to your dentures.

If you find your dentures slipping when you talk, try biting down on them and swallowing. This should reseat them into place. Wearing a bit of denture adhesive can also help while you’re still adjusting.

How Long Will You Have to Wait to Get Dentures After Your Teeth Are Pulled?

On average, patients have to wait between six to eight weeks to get dentures after getting their teeth pulled. While that may seem like a long time, it’s necessary to ensure the gums properly heal. Of course, the exact amount of time will vary depending on the type of denture in question. Immediate dentures can be placed on the same day as an extraction, but they will need to be replaced sooner than anticipated because the shape of the underlying bone and gums may change as the mouth heals. Those getting implant dentures will have to wait between four to six months as the titanium post needs to fuse with the jawbone via osseointegration.

Will It Hurt to Get Dentures?

It shouldn’t! If you’re having teeth pulled before getting dentures, you’ll likely experience mild discomfort after your oral surgery. The good news is that you can manage these symptoms with over-the-counter pain medication and cold compresses. When you first get your dentures, you may experience some irritation as your mouth adjusts to the oral appliance. Over time, your discomfort will fade away as you get used to your new smile. If the pain persists or gets worse, you should contact your dentist right away for assistance. Your dentures may need to be relined or you could have an underlying oral health issue that needs to be addressed.

Can Dentures Reduce Life Expectancy?

Studies have discovered that wearing dentures can decrease life expectancy by up to 10 years. Losing your bite force can make it difficult to eat certain foods, which is why many denture wearers end up avoiding healthy foods and suffering from malnutrition. Traditional dentures have a much weaker bite force than natural teeth, making it hard to chew foods like apples, pears, carrots, and nuts. Fortunately, dental implants are an excellent method of tooth replacement that restores a chewing power nearly equal to that of natural teeth. As a result, you can more easily maintain a varied diet.

What Can’t You Eat with Dentures?

While you can eat most foods with dentures, there are a few things you should avoid. For example, sticky foods (i.e., peanut butter, caramel, gummy candies) can pull your prosthetics out of place. Hard foods (i.e., popcorn kernels, shelled nuts, sesame seeds) can get stuck in and around the dentures, possibly damaging them. Tough meats (i.e., steak and pork chops) require an excessive amount of chewing, which can put a lot of unnecessary stress on both your dentures and gums. It’s important to be mindful of the foods you eat to keep your smile intact for as long as possible.