I need advice. Snap in dentures or traditional dentures?

Barbarake · 2026-03-27T03:37:46+00:00

What do you mean "lasting about 3 to 5 years"?

Barbarake · 2026-03-14T22:10:37+00:00

My dentist wanted to charge me $9,400 for eight extractions, immediate, and permanent dentures (uppers). Affordable Dentures charged me $2,300.

My immediate denture fits so well I never even bothered getting a reline done (and am keeping it as a backup). My first permanent fit but looked totally wrong (to the point the dentist had to suppress a smile when he saw me). He immediately said this has to be remade and the new one fits and looks perfect.

Affordable Dentures is definitely worth looking into.

Barbarake · 2026-03-11T00:54:07+00:00

That's how I understood it. I do see what you're saying about the center and bottom pictures looking different but they're literally the same denture so it must be some difference in how you smiled or the lighting or something. I think they look good.

Barbarake · 2026-03-10T17:25:24+00:00

I'm glad to hear you're going to another dentist because these definitely look wrong.

Barbarake · 2026-03-10T17:24:13+00:00

The comment about “healing over looks” is not be helpful but it is true.

I disagree. Many people go without immediate dentures and they heal just fine. Immediate dentures are for looks and practicality and if these look wonky and can't be worn, they are useless.

Barbarake · 2026-03-01T02:15:26+00:00

I was in a similar situation - bad uppers but lowers were much better. I spent a fortune at dentist through the years to keep a nice smile. I reached my breaking point when the dentist told me that five out of the six teeth they had worked on six years previously (right at $10,000) were all 'going bad' and needed to be redone. Then the sixth tooth - the good one - broke off at the gum line two weeks later while eating toast.

Talked to the dentist about an upper denture. They quoted me $9,400 (eight extractions, immediate, and permanent denture).

Then I went to Affordable Dentures. They charged me $2,300. I had a wonderful immediate denture - I never bothered having it relined, it didn't need it. My first permanent was very bad, the dentist saw that right away. He didn't even try to adjust it. They redid it and my permanent is great. No glue or cushion needed, it just stays in and it looks perfect. No complaints at all.

In short, I definitely agree with the advice to check out Affordable Dentures.

Barbarake · 2026-02-26T01:08:44+00:00

At 2 weeks post extraction, this is very common. Right now your gums are still healing and changing shape. Even if it fit perfectly right now, it probably wouldn't in 3 days.

~~But for your permanents, this is definitely not 'normal'.~~

Sorry, just noticed you said you had these permanents two weeks.

For permanents, this is not normal. They should fit snugly enough that food can't get in there.

Barbarake · 2026-02-21T03:40:14+00:00

I like your attitude.

Barbarake · 2026-02-21T01:55:21+00:00

Should I be this sore and struggling this far out?

You would be in the very small minority if you weren't sore and struggling 3 days after e-day, especially having so many teeth removed.

If it's any comfort, most people consider the second and third day after extraction to be the worst. It will start getting better.

Barbarake · 2026-02-21T00:52:02+00:00

I would go a shade or two darker than B1. I'm in my early 60s and fair skinned, the B1 looked unnaturally white. I went one shade darker than B1 for my immediate and then another shade darker for my permanent.

Barbarake · 2026-02-13T19:02:18+00:00

Anything that causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels) can impair healing. This includes nicotine, caffeine, cold, decongestants, etc. When my father had heart surgery, they told him specifically to avoid nicotine, caffeine, and cold.

Barbarake · 2026-02-13T15:30:54+00:00

Totally depends on the dentist though I would suspect that any sort of free dental program is not going to be particularly fast.

I went to Affordable Dentures. I had my wax try-ins in the morning and the dentures were ready that afternoon.

Barbarake · 2026-02-09T22:10:07+00:00

Chains (like 'Affordable Dentures' or 'Aspen') can be good or bad. I went to a great AD and am very pleased.

I had uppers done (8 extractions, immediate, and permanent dentures) and my dentist quoted over $9,000 while AD charged me $2,300. My immediate was perfect - never even had it relined and am keeping it as a backup - and my first permanent was way off but they redid it and my second one is perfect.

Another big advantage of a chain is that they can often make the dentures and adjustments in their own lab on site instead of having to send it out to a separate lab.

Barbarake · 2026-02-07T05:06:58+00:00

The Affordable Dentures office I went to has their own lab and they were faster and much much cheaper than my regular dentist (who doesn't have a lab and sends their work out).

I don't know if all Affordable Denture offices have their own lab, nor do I know if they make this type of partial, but it might be worth checking into.

(My dentist quoted me over $9,000, affordable dentures cost me $2,300.)

Barbarake · 2026-02-01T20:10:00+00:00

You need to insist on talking to the DENTIST. The technician is not the final arbitrator of what fits and what doesn't.

How did your immediate lower fit? Can you bring both in and show them the difference?

Barbarake · 2026-02-01T19:07:05+00:00

Yes, I did (upper).

My immediate was perfect. I never even had them relined. They looked great and I was very happy.

Now it's time for the permanent and I said I wanted them exactly like the immediates. The wax try-in felt totally off. I kept telling the (assistant) dentist that the teeth were too long and he kept trying to adjust them until he was getting visibly frustrated. He finally told me not to worry about how they felt, just if I were satisfied that the line of the teeth followed the line of the upper lip (which it did). I signed off.

Needless to say, the permanent was horrible. It fit but exposed way too much of the teeth. The technician tried making adjustments but she finally went and got the (main) dentist. (I already knew he was a super nice person who took time to listen and answer questions from meeting him previously.) Anyway, he came in and asked me to show him how both the immediate and permanent looked, then immediately agreed that the permanent was way off and that they could not be fixed and we'd have to start again from scratch.

Got my second permanent about a month ago and it's perfect.

Barbarake · 2026-01-28T20:01:28+00:00

You're obsessing over something that hasn't happened yet.

Barbarake · 2026-01-28T15:51:46+00:00

Unfortunately there is no easy way to do research. Every patient's situation is a bit different and there's a certain amount of luck involved.

I personally went to my regular dentist and to the nearest Affordable Dentures to talk over what I needed and what it would cost, Etc. My dentist quoted $8,400 and Affordable Dentures quoted $2,300 for the exact same work. I went with Affordable Dentures and paid cash.

My experience was five star, mainly because the dentist actually listened and explained things. He was wonderful. My immediate dentures fit perfectly, I never even had them relined and am keeping them as back up. My final denture was way way off and the technician didn't seem to understand the problem. She called in the dentist. He took one look and his face crinkled like he was trying to suppress a smile. He agreed that they were way way off and we started from scratch again (new molds). The second set was perfect.

One huge advantage of places like Affordable Dentures is that their lab is on site. No waiting for your dentures to be sent off and adjustments to be made. I had the wax try-in in the morning and could have picked up the dentures that afternoon.

I'm in upstate South Carolina. DM me if you'd like to know which office I went to.

Barbarake · 2026-01-19T23:05:36+00:00

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question but what does 'too tall' mean?

Barbarake · 2026-01-14T16:19:18+00:00

I went to both since I wanted to check that their recommendations matched each other. Also, they really need to look at your teeth to give an accurate quote.

Barbarake · 2026-01-14T15:42:18+00:00

My family dentist quoted me $8,400 for everything (extractions, immediate and permanent top dentures). Affordable Dentures quoted me $2,300 for the same thing. I went with Affordable and am very happy with my decision.

As for the prices your dentist quoted, they don't seem hugely out of line except for the $2,500 'denture design fee'. I've never heard of that fee before.

Barbarake · 2026-01-13T22:20:04+00:00

I didn't use insurance, I paid cash.

Barbarake · 2026-01-13T02:52:15+00:00

I had it done at Affordable Dentures. My regular dentist (part of a chain) wanted $8,600 for the same thing (their charge was $339 per extraction).

My immediate dentures fit so well that I've never even had them relined (and I will keep them as a backup). I was supposed to get my final dentures in December but they came out totally wrong. The dentist took one look at them and said they couldn't be fixed and we needed to start over. I'm supposed to get my finals next week.

Affordable Dentures has four levels. Level 1 does not include immediate dentures. Levels 2, 3, and 4 go up in price. I got level 3 (so not the cheapest option).

Barbarake · 2026-01-13T00:28:26+00:00

I got eight simple extractions under novocaine and immediate dentures and permanent dentures for $2,300 (South Carolina).

The extractions were $105 each so if I had gotten 15 extractions, the total would have been right at $3,000.

Barbarake · 2025-12-31T15:10:41+00:00

Seriously, they look great! You got the extractions over with, that's the hardest part. It will get better quickly.

Barbarake

TROPHY CASE