Seniors

I don't know where you are located, but I paid around $1,900 through my top of the line dentist in Irving. I doubt that you would be able to find a good denture for less than $1,000.

It's been over a year since I had all of my teeth pulled (upper -- June 2012; lower -- Nov. 2012) and I can tell you that while losing your teeth bites (groan), it is better to lose the upper teeth than the lower since the upper denture has the plate that provides suction against the palate which helps to hold it in place. I haven't had much difficulty with the upper denture. The price that your dentist quoted for hard-lining the denture is the same as what my dentist quoted to me.

The lower denture is an entirely different matter. It never remains in place since it rests entirely on the mandible. Most dentists advise getting a couple of implants to help hold the denture in place. Those implants run about $3,000 each and the denture runs in the $1,500 to $2,000 range.

BTW, while the dentist was talking about the dentures did he also mention the $2,000-$2,500 bill for the oral surgeon to extract those upper teeth? Needless to say, it's debatable as to whether the extraction of the teeth is more painful than the extraction of the cash from the wallet.

The biggest problem with wearing dentures is slippage and the loss of chewing power. I miss the sensation of biting into an apple or an ear of corn. I tend to eat more soft foods and slice my food up finely so in turn I am a slow eater out in public.

Finally, denture paste sucks. I suggest keeping extra paper towels to wipe the dentures and the roof of your mouth.

Good luck with the oral surgery and feel free to contact me if you have questions. You'll need someone to be at the surgery clinic during the procedure and to pick you up to go home. The first couple of days after the procedure are rough, but I've dealt with worse pain in my life. It usually takes about 2-3 weeks after the operation for stitches along the gum lines to come loose to be removed. It usually is around the 8 week mark when they make temporary lining adjustments to the denture and to allow for the swelling to dissipate along the gumline.