This article lists all the additional costs and expenses patients wearing removable dentures have to pay, in both the long and short term.
The Cost of Dentures: Introduction
Perhaps a patient’s biggest concern when considering a tooth replacement technology is cost. Dental 
implants, while offering the most sophisticated and long term solution to single, multiple and total tooth loss, are known to be at the high end of the cost spectrum. However, what few patients know is that older, more traditional technologies, such as removable dentures end up costing the same if not more in the long run. And this is as a result of the need for restoration, refitting and repeated expenses such as adhesives, anesthetic gels and cleaning agents. By making that initial investment in the cost of dental implants, patients are ensuring the longevity of their oral health while securing themselves a much better quality of life. So, if you are in need of a new set of teeth, perhaps it’s time you were asked the question: do you understand the real cost of dentures? And is it the smartest investment you can make?
The Real Cost of Dentures: Adhesives, Anesthetic Gels and Cleaning Products
The initial cost of dentures can be as little as $250. That seems like a paltry amount to pay when compared with dental implants, but these three digits belie the true cost of dentures. The toll this archaic technology takes not only on your wallet, but on your quality of life can prove to be quite devastating. First of all, the cost of dentures will always include the need for:
- Adhesives to prevent them from slipping and shifting around.
- Anesthetic gels to numb the pain and discomfort caused by (1) the pressure they exert on the underlying soft tissue and (2) the sores caused by their rubbing against the gums.
- Cleaning agents: dentures harbor food and bacteria and as such, require removal and thorough cleaning after every meal and at nighttime.
Now buying a pack of adhesives is not going to break the bank, but over the years, the ceaseless need for all of these products adds up. In the long run the cost denturesand associated products accumulates into thousands of dollars, which could have paid for dental implants in the first place!
The Real Cost of Dentures: Jaw Bone Loss and Denture Refitting
But where the cost of dentures really takes its toll is on the health of the underlying jaw
bone. Unlike dental implants, removable dentures only replace the tooth crowns. The loss of the tooth roots and the stimulation they provide to the jaw bone causes this hard tissue to atrophy and waste away. Over the years, the loss of bone volume in the jaw causes it to change in shape and dentures that previously fit snugly in the mouth become acutely uncomfortable. This requires patients to go to the dentist and pay for the cost of dentures that are custom fabricated to fit the contours of their jaw better. And this is no one-time exercise. Patients will be required to pay for the cost of dentures every few years or so until they have lost such a significant volume of bone in the jaw that – and here’s the irony – dental implants are the only teeth replacement solution available to them. That’s right! Patients who wear removable dentures for years frequently end up requiring dental implants and expensive, painful bone grafting surgery simply because there is insufficient jaw bone volume to viably support dentures.
A Final Note on the Cost of Dentures
You may think the cost of dentures works out to your advantage, but in the long run, you are paying the price in more than just money… you also sacrifice your youthful appearance and quality of life. For a one-time investment, dental implants offer a far superior and longer lasting tooth replacement solution that look, feel and function just like natural teeth.