THE ESSENTIAL DENTURE BUYING GUIDE
Compared to most products, there isn’t much information on how to buy dentures and what to look for in a denture provider. This page is a quick rundown of your options and what to expect during the denture buying experience. Please note that denture services are the most difficult and time consuming areas of treatment in dentistry.
Listed below are the methods utilized by our dental clinic, Glacier Denture Center, for complete upper & lower dentures for over 50 years. Any less than these methods should not be accepted by you, as the paying patient for these services. We realize most people are on tight budgets but please consider how important mouth comfort is and carefully choose the best option for you denture needs.
Who To Choose For Denture Services?
Board Certified Prosthodontist
- Denture specialist
- Highly trained
- Higher cost
- Referral needed
Dentist/Volume Denture Clinic
- Lower cost
- Easier to find
- May want to sell other products (such as implants)
- Dentures may be made outside of clinic; possibly overseas
Denturist
- Lower Cost
- In house denture production from start to finish
- Not available in all states
Average Appointment Schedule For Dentures
First Appointment
Make sure your provider speaks to you in easy to understand language. Ask what the guarantees are and a refund policy if you are not satisfied over a prescribed period of time. You want these guarantee’s in writing and signed by the dentist or the office manager.
Your provider should ask questions about your general health. Were teeth extracted and the dentures placed right away? How old are the dentures now? Discuss the different types of artificial teeth (plastic vs. porcelain) and their advantages and limitations. Make sure you are provided a complete oral examination including a thorough review of the sub-lingual areas and provided a x-ray’s of your entire mouth.
A comprehensive plan should be provided to you about your options. When you fully understand what the dentist is offering and you are accepting – only then, approve. If approved, an upper and lower impressions should be taken. The dentist should take the impressions, not an assistant. Please remember the impressions are critically important; they are the blueprint for the dentures. If the impressions are incorrect, the dentures will be made incorrectly.
Second Appointment
A bite must be determined and vertical dimension of the mouth must be made. Midline and tooth length must be determined. These are measurements needed to build the dentures.
Third Appointment
Try-in upper and lower wax dentures. This is the time for you to express concerns about the dentures. As the patient, do not accept the dentures if you do not like the way the teeth look or the way they fit together. The teeth can be moved around to satisfy your needs. It is very important that the teeth must all come together at one time when you bite.
A simple way to check this is to place the tip of your tongue back in the mouth by the throat; keeping your tongue there, bring your teeth together. If they fit together like a gear everything is fine. If not, your bite is incorrect.
Fourth Appointment
Dentures are delivered. Seating and adjustments of denture. You should be given an appointment 3-5 after for reseating. This is critical due to the denture actually being worn. Will help eliminate sore spots.