A basic set of full dentures costs between $1,500 and $3,500 per arch, meaning a complete upper and lower set runs $3,000 to $7,000 before any extractions or prep work. The total you’ll actually pay depends on the type of denture, the material, whether you need implants for support, and how many teeth need to come out first.
Full Dentures: Upper and Lower
Full dentures replace all teeth on one or both arches. A single arch (top or bottom) averages $1,500 to $3,500. If you need both arches, expect to roughly double that figure. The price gap mostly comes down to the quality of the materials and the level of customization. Budget dentures use pre-formed teeth and a standard base, while mid-range and premium options use higher-grade acrylic, more lifelike tooth shading, and a better-fitting base shaped from detailed impressions of your mouth.
Lower dentures tend to be trickier to fit than uppers because there’s less surface area for suction, so some dentists recommend implant support for the lower arch even when the upper works fine on its own.
Partial Denture Costs by Material
If you’re only missing some teeth, partial dentures fill the gaps while clipping onto your remaining natural teeth. Pricing varies by material:
- Resin (acrylic): National average of $1,738, with a typical range of $1,333 to $3,283. These are the most affordable but also the bulkiest.
- Flexible nylon: National average of $1,761, ranging from $1,360 to $3,451. Lighter and more comfortable than acrylic, with no visible metal clasps.
- Cast metal framework: National average of $2,229, ranging from $1,728 to $4,203. Thinner, stronger, and longer-lasting than the other two options, which can justify the higher upfront cost.
Implant-Supported Dentures
Snap-in (removable) implant dentures clip onto two to four implant posts anchored in your jawbone. They’re far more stable than conventional dentures and typically cost $6,000 to $15,000 per arch. You still remove them at night for cleaning, but they won’t shift or slip while you eat or talk.
All-on-4 fixed bridges are the premium option: a full arch of teeth permanently screwed onto four implants. These feel closest to natural teeth, but the price reflects it. Expect $20,000 to $30,000 per arch, with some regional variation of a few thousand dollars in either direction. The higher cost covers the implant surgery, the custom-milled bridge, and more frequent follow-up visits during healing.
If your jawbone has thinned from years of missing teeth, you may also need bone grafting before implants can be placed. That adds $300 to $3,000 per site depending on the graft type. Synthetic or animal-derived grafts are the most affordable at $300 to $800, while grafts using your own bone cost $2,000 to $3,000 because they require a second surgical site.
Extractions and Prep Work Add Up
Most people getting dentures still have teeth that need to come out first, and those costs are separate from the denture itself. A simple extraction runs roughly $75 to $200 per tooth at most practices, while surgical extractions for impacted or broken teeth range from about $130 to $275 per tooth. If you need a full mouth of extractions, this alone can add several hundred to over a thousand dollars to your total.
Some patients also need the jawbone smoothed or reshaped before dentures will sit properly, which is an additional surgical fee your dentist will quote during the treatment plan.
How to Lower the Cost
Dental school clinics are one of the most reliable ways to save. Students perform the work under direct supervision from licensed faculty, and pricing can run up to 50% less than private practice. The University of Louisville’s dental school, for example, charges $1,275 for a complete upper and lower set compared to $4,600 at area private practices. The trade-off is longer appointment times and a slower overall timeline, since each step gets checked by an instructor.
Community health centers with sliding-scale fees, state Medicaid programs (which cover dentures in some states), and nonprofit dental organizations are other options worth exploring if cost is a barrier.
What Insurance Typically Covers
Dental insurance classifies dentures as “major restorative” work, which means lower coverage than cleanings or fillings. Most plans cover 50% to 60% of the cost after you’ve met your deductible, and many cap annual benefits at $1,000 to $2,000. That cap can disappear quickly when a full set of dentures costs several thousand dollars, so you may still face a significant out-of-pocket bill.
Original Medicare does not cover dentures at all. Medicare Advantage plans sometimes include dental benefits, but coverage varies widely by plan and region, so check the specifics before assuming you’re covered. Many dental offices offer in-house payment plans or work with third-party financing to spread the cost over 12 to 24 months.
Ongoing Costs After You Get Them
Dentures aren’t a one-time purchase. Your jawbone gradually changes shape after teeth are removed, which means the denture’s fit loosens over time. Most wearers need a professional reline every two to four years to restore a snug fit. A soft reline costs $150 to $400, and a hard reline runs $200 to $400.
The American College of Prosthodontists recommends evaluating dentures for replacement once they’ve been in use for more than five years, or sooner if the fit, function, or appearance has noticeably declined. Over a 10-year span, plan for at least one or two relines and potentially a full replacement, which means the long-term cost of conventional dentures is roughly double the initial price.
Daily maintenance costs are minimal: denture adhesive ($5 to $10 a tube), cleaning tablets, and a soft-bristle brush. These small expenses add up to perhaps $50 to $100 a year but keep your dentures functioning well between professional adjustments.