How Much Do Dentures Cost? Average Price by Type and State

Dentures are a common solution to losing teeth and can greatly improve your quality of life, whether you’re missing all your teeth or just a few. More than 36 million Americans are missing all their natural teeth, and 90% use dentures in their place, with nearly 15% of them getting dentures made every year.¹

While dentures can be a significant step forward in regaining your dental health, the cost can be substantial and may require dental financing to help cover the expense.

What Are Dentures?

Dentures are a type of prosthesis used to replace missing teeth. They can be an effective solution if you have lost some or all of your teeth.² They come in full-sized types that replace all your teeth in the upper or lower part of your jaw (or both), or partial dentures that just replace a few missing teeth.³

Dentures can help maintain the shape of your face, prevent remaining teeth from moving, make it easier to chew your food and even make your speech clearer. They may seem expensive initially, but the boost to your confidence and health can make them a worthwhile investment.²

Types of Dentures

There are many different types of dentures to choose from, ranging from full to partial dentures and fixed or removable dentures.² But don’t let that overwhelm you! Your dentist will help advise you on what’s best for your situation.

• Complete (or full) dentures. These dentures replace all the teeth in your mouth, fitting over your gums. They are removable.²
• Immediate dentures. These are temporary dentures that you might wear having teeth extracted. They give your gums time to heal while your dentures are being made.⁴
• Implant-retained, fixed dentures. These dentures are held in place by implants. They’re not removable.⁴
• Implant-retained, removable (snap-in) dentures. These full dentures snap onto implant posts that are attached to your jaw. Snap-in dentures are removable like traditional full dentures, but the implants make them more stable.²
• Partial fixed dentures. These use a fixed bridge that’s anchored to two implants. You can’t remove these yourself.⁴
• Partial removable dentures. These dentures replace just a few missing teeth, rather than all of them. They use metal hardware to attach to neighboring teeth, and you can unclip them.⁴

While dental implants provide support for some of the dentures listed above, they can also serve as an alternative to dentures. One individual tooth is implanted in your jaw to replace each missing tooth. Dental implants tend to last longer than dentures, but they’re also more expensive.³

Some pros and cons of choosing fixed versus removable dentures include:⁵

• Fixed (permanent) dentures. More stable than removable dentures, and you may even forget you have them. But they cost more and require surgery to get implants in your jaw first.
• Removable dentures. Cost less than fixed dentures, but will still improve your smile and ability to chew. They need daily removal and cleaning. Because they^’re not permanently attached, they cannot prevent bone loss.

How Much Do Dentures Cost?

The national average cost* for dentures in the United States can range from $452 for low-cost dentures up to $6,514 for premium dentures.⁶

Average cost for dentures by type

Below is a quick look at the average national cost* of different types of dentures. Your exact cost will vary based on your geographic location and other factors, like the material used to make the dentures.⁶

Calculate the cost of traditional dentures near you*

Average cost of dentures by state/district

The cost of dentures can also vary depending on where you live.

Below is a breakdown of the average cost* of traditional, removable dentures (both upper and lower plates) in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Prices do not reflect the cost of a consultation, possible insurance coverage or potential maintenance and repair. Costs can also vary depending on how much customization you want, the quality of the dentures and the type of materials you choose.⁶

The material used for your dentures can also impact the price. For example, the national average cost* for partial metal dentures is $2,229, but the average cost for partial resin dentures is $1,738.⁶ Metal dentures tend to be long-lasting and durable, which may justify the higher cost in the long run.⁵ 

Additional denture costs to consider

When calculating the cost of dentures, it’s important to remember that other factors can also play into the price, such as appointments before getting your dentures or the need for replacements or repairs.

For example, you may face these additional average costs just to get dentures, depending on the type you’re getting and the procedure your dentist wants to perform:⁶

You will need several visits to get your dentures, and it could take around two months to complete the process from start to finish.⁷

Denture Maintenance and Repair Costs

You’ll also need to pay for the costs involved with keeping your dentures clean and working properly. Depending on the type of dentures you have, these might include:

• Denture adhesives to hold removable dentures in place⁴
• Denture adjustments to ensure your dentures continue to fit comfortably⁸
• Denture cleansers for removable dentures⁴
• Denture relining the base of your dentures, which may need to occur every few years for a proper fit⁸

Dentures may need to be replaced when they break or if they stop working well for you. But with proper care and maintenance, they could last as long as 10 years.⁸

Signs You May Need Dentures

Just because you have a missing tooth doesn’t mean you need dentures. But if your missing teeth impact the quality of your life, it may be time to get them.

You may want dentures if:⁷

• Missing teeth are affecting your appearance (such as your smile, the shape of your face or your confidence overall).
• Missing teeth are affecting your ability to chew or speak.
• You have tooth damage that a dental crown or bridge can’t fix.
• You’ve lost teeth from injury or disease.

If you’re missing all your teeth, then you may want to consider full dentures that resemble your natural teeth and are custom fit to match your gum and jawbone contours. They’ll improve your quality of life and confidence by restoring your smile and your ability to speak and chew. If you’re just missing some of your teeth, then you may want either fixed or removable partial dentures.²

Getting Dentures: How the Process Works

If you want dentures, your dentist will perform a comprehensive exam of your teeth, gums and jaw.⁴ They will then take a mold (or impression) of your teeth using soft plastic or wax. The mold and bite records will be sent to a lab, where a technician will use the mold to build your dentures. You’ll have a few more appointments with your dentist as the laboratory builds your dentures to ensure a correct fit.⁶

Some dental practices may use T-scan technology to take 3D images of your teeth instead of using physical molds. These digital images are sent to a lab and may provide a faster, more exact fit.⁵

How Long Does It Take to Get Dentures?

In general, it takes about two months to get your dentures. Below is a rough timeline, which may vary depending on your dentist.⁷

• Expect about 30 minutes to get your first impressions or molds of your teeth.
• Then, it’s about two weeks for the lab to create custom mold trays.
• If using custom trays, it will take 30 minutes to get a final set of impressions of your teeth.⁷ (If you’re getting digital impressions, these steps might be faster.)⁵
• Two weeks later, you’ll have an hour-long appointment with your dentist to record how your upper jaw fits with your lower jaw. This is necessary for a proper denture fit.
• Two weeks after that, you’ll have an hour-long dental appointment to confirm the dentures fit before final delivery. This is called a wax try-in.
• After another two weeks, your completed dentures will arrive.

Getting a Good Denture Fit

After your dentures are finished, you’ll have another appointment with your dentist for a final fitting. Your dentist might trim your dentures to make sure you have a comfortable bite. This typically takes no longer than an hour.⁷

Just remember, even after this final fitting, adjusting to your dentures can take some time.² If you have removable dentures, you’ll adjust faster if you leave them in for longer periods of time during the day when you first get them.⁴

If you’re getting complete dentures, they may feel a little uncomfortable or even loose at first. You may need to periodically have them adjusted by your dentist to ensure a comfortable and secure fit.²

But even after you’ve adjusted to your dentures and feel comfortable with them, you’ll still need regular dental appointments to make sure they continue to fit well.²

Are Dentures Covered by Dental Insurance?

Unfortunately, things get a little tricky if you’re hoping dental insurance will pay for your dentures. Talk to your insurance provider about what they will or will not cover.

Medicare and Medicaid

Basic Medicare does not cover dentistry. You’ll need a Medicare Advantage plan, which may cover your dentures fully or at least partially.⁹

Medicaid coverage varies by state, with some states limiting you to one set of dentures every five or six years.⁹

Private health and dental insurance plans

Most private health insurance plans don’t cover any dental work for adults, so they won’t cover your dentures. In rare situations, your health plan might cover dental work after an accident or injury.¹⁰ But if you want procedures like dentures covered, you’ll need supplemental dental insurance in addition to your private health plan.¹¹

Dental insurance will typically cover at least part of the cost of your dentures, but it varies from plan to plan. Often, private policies will cover 50% of the cost of dentures, but this also varies depending on your plan.¹¹

In addition, many dental plans might have a low yearly maximum benefit, and if your dentures cost more than that, you’ll have to cover the rest.¹² For example, if a plan has a maximum annual coverage of $1,500, then that’s all it will pay toward your dentures after you’ve met the deductible. This can leave you with quite the bill, even if you have insurance.

Options to Pay for and Finance Dentures

Dentures can be expensive. Many times, you’ll still be left with a bill even after applying your private dental plan, Medicare or Medicaid to the cost of your dentures (if you have these plans). The good news is that there are steps you can take to help pay for the remainder of the cost, like asking your dentist if they offer installment plans or discount programs.⁹ You can also look for financing options on your own, such as the CareCredit credit card.

Dentures Can Be a Worthwhile Investment

If you’re missing some or all of your teeth, dentures can greatly improve your quality of life by restoring your ability to eat, speak and smile with confidence. With the right fit and care, they offer a comfortable, functional solution that can enhance both your appearance and overall well-being.

Financing Dentures With the CareCredit Credit Card

Whether you’re getting dentures or you’re simply paying for a dental exam, the CareCredit credit card can help you pay for costs not covered by insurance.** Use our Acceptance Locator to find a dentist or oral surgeon near you that accepts CareCredit. Use the CareCredit credit card, again and again, to pay for your health and wellness wants and needs, and download the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to dental care, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for pet care, cosmetic, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

Author Bio

Stephanie Dwilson specializes in science journalism, breaking news and animal health and is a business owner, non-practicing attorney and writer.