Let’s talk money. Dentures can break or need repair and you’ll need to break out the piggy bank. If you’re wondering how much you’ll need to fork out for a broken denture repair or a denture relining we’ll break down the possible costs you can expect when you need to get your dentures fixed.
Average Denture Reline Costs
Before we get into the costs, what is denture relining? Your dentist does this procedure to make your partial denture or full dentures fit correctly. It’s perfectly natural for your jawbone to change over time, so your dentures may get loose and irritate your gums. Ill-fitting dentures won’t just be uncomfortable but can also make it difficult to speak and chew.
If your dentures need relining, there are three types you can get:
- Soft denture reline. If you have sensitive gums or you only had your new dentures for three to six months, your dentist may recommend giving your dentures a soft reline, which is made from a pliable, soft material—like a waxy or rubbery material—however this type of reline will need more adjustments than a hard reline.
- Hard denture reline. If you have full dentures, then you will need a hard reline every two to ensure your dentures fit comfortably. This type of reline is usually made with from acrylic.
- Temporary denture reline. If you haven’t been to the dentist in a long time and have very sore and red gums, you may need a temporary reline. This soft, temporary reline can help the gums heal, and then the dentist will cast for a new denture or a new hard reline.
Covered by the NHS as a Band 2 treatment, denture relines cost approximately £60 in England, £50 in Wales, and an unfixed amount in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In case you’d like to have your dentures relined privately, a denture reline can set you back anywhere between £75 and £150. The cost will depend on a few factors, like:
- dentist’s proposal
- type of denture reline process
- type of dental prosthesis.
That’s just the average charge, however, the cost of the repair and relining is at the discretion of your dentist and may vary depending on the type of reline and materials used.
Average Denture Repair Costs
Most dentures have an average life span of maximum 10-15 years, so you will either need to repair or replace your dentures at some point. Denture repair can involve:
- Fixing a part of the denture or the entire framework.
- Fixing a single tooth.
- Fixing multiple teeth on the denture.
You can damage your denture in many ways, from dropping it on the floor to biting into something too hard. Loose-fitting dentures can even cause fractures and disharmony in your bite.
When your denture gets fixed, usually the damaged acrylic will need replacing. Luckily, the dental treatment plan of the NHS provides you free-of-charge denture repair, which means you only have to pay a fee in case it’s not possible to repair your dentures and you need to get new ones.
Most of the time, getting your dentures repaired will cost you nothing under the NHS’s dental treatment plan, whereas relining is around £60-150. Even if your dentures won’t last forever, you can make dentures last a little longer by taking care of them. You can think of getting your dentures repaired and relined as an investment, so you can happily keep biting through for the years to come.
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