Why should you pay top price for dentures when there are cheaper ones available? That’s a fair question. In short, it comes down to prioritising. Finding a balance between quality and affordability is essential when considering the purchase of anything, especially dentures. But dentures are not like golf clubs or the latest Apple iPhone. Having quality dentures is vital, affecting your capacity to eat, talk, look good and be confident and generally enjoy your life. Poor fitting or bad dentures can make life miserable. Although top quality dentures are usually more expensive, one could argue that it’s not just dentures you are buying, but rather you are investing in yourself and your ability to live your life to the fullest.
What you are prepared to pay for an important health and lifestyle purchase like dentures can depend on your time of life, related financial position and perceived self-worth. For those of us in our later years, lifetime habits of being frugal and conserving resources may persist when they no longer serve us.
Choosing the best denture solution for you
How do you choose the best denture solution for you? Each patient is unique. Existing health conditions, your unique mouth topography, clinical needs, and personal preferences are just some of the main considerations in deciding on the best denture for you. This is not something you have to face alone, however. Your dental prosthetist and collaborating health professionals will assess your situation then present you with a personalised, detailed health plan advising you of the best options.
Another important decision you will be asked to make is how much you are willing to pay for your denture. This is not a decision to make in haste. As alluded to in the introduction, not only will this decision depend on your available resources but also your stage of life, how much value you place on appearance, functionality and even convenience. And indeed, how much you are willing to invest in yourself.
Dentures are more than just teeth
Teeth and how they function and look, have a great deal to do with quality of life. This requires applying a different set of priorities when deciding on the right denture for you. While many of the pleasures we enjoyed when we were younger, fitter, and more mobile, are further from our grasp, enjoying simple pleasures like eating remains. Our faces may barely resemble our younger selves, but the beauty of our smiles can be maintained.
This should be kept in mind when in the process of upgrading your denture or deciding on a new one, be it removable or implanted, you are asked to make an economic choice. The better-quality options are usually more expensive. Having been careful with our financial resources all our lives we may be tempted to focus on the expense of the better options, rather than how much we depend on them for our wellbeing. While leaving a nice inheritance for our children may bring joy, it should not be at the cost of having to endure lesser quality of life that a poorer quality denture may mean.
This is especially brought into focus for those contemplating an implant option, thought by many as the closest thing to having natural teeth. But it’s expensive you might argue. You insist you need to watch your budget. Your nest egg must last for your remaining days, you say. All valid concerns of course. But there is another way to think about this.
When time of life is a factor in decision-making
Shifting your mindset is not easy. Especially when you have always put family first. As the family grows up and takes responsibility for themselves, now is the time to consider ‘number one’. It’s time for a shift in how we think about spending our hard-earned money as we approach our ‘golden years’. Our measure of days may be shorter. but should not be less enjoyable. It’s time to think about the quality of the time you have left, not dwell on the quantity.
And then there are the children. Ask yourself, would your family want you to jeopardise your health, your enjoyment of life to ensure them a bigger inheritance? If the answer is yes, then even more reason to invest in yourself now. But seriously, no one would argue the importance of having good functional teeth. Are you aware that a close link between diet, nutrition and oral health is well established, especially in older adults? Malnutrition in this age group is a challenge related to a decline in physical and general health.[i]
Teeth and our mental and social health
There are other important aspects of eating, beyond nourishment. In many cultures including ours, ‘breaking bread’ is a social occasion. Gathering for meals is about more than eating. Food brings people together to share not just a meal, but also stories, good will, and camaraderie. Business is conducted over meals, impressions are made, relationships established. Meals nourish more than physical bodies. Partaking of food in company fills our bellies, our mental wellbeing, and our souls.
Imagine for a moment if you struggled to eat. If you had no teeth or bad teeth, or a poor-quality, ill-fitting denture that was less than effective. It would negatively impact not only your physical health but also your mental and social health. You would be unable to eat a varied diet because your teeth hurt or because you’re worried they may fall out when you chewed, laughed or spoke. You might hate the way you look and so avoid smiling, thus giving a negative impression to people you meet. These are scenarios that should be considered when making decisions about whether to invest in the best dentures you can manage.
Justifying the cost of dentures for younger people
But what of younger people needing dentures? Why should they consider buying at the top of their budget range? Younger people who replace natural teeth with dentures have good reason to invest in the best quality they can afford. The same social, mental and physical considerations that older people have, also apply to the younger generation, differing only in length of expected life span. Implants may be a viable choice given the expected number of years younger ones have ahead of them. While the initial expense may seem prohibitive, when considering the length of life and potential earnings ahead, the convenience and obvious social and personal advantages, the investment is a worthy one.
Protecting your health
Be assured denture-making in Australia is a well-regulated industry.[ii] Even cheap dentures must comply with stringent health regulations set down by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) which oversees the regulation of therapeutic goods like the materials used in dentures.[iii] Other regulatory bodies ensure practitioners are properly trained and adhere to best practice. So whichever level of denture you choose, you can be confident your safety is protected.
Final words
Cost can be a primary factor when choosing dentures, especially for older people. Having developed a habit of frugality over their lives, where they prioritised family before themselves, making a change to prioritise their own needs may seem indulgent. Dentures are more than just a replacement for lost or bad teeth, having major implications for your health, enjoyment of life and social benefits.
References
[i] Chan AKY, Tsang YC, Jiang CM, Leung KCM, Lo ECM, Chu CH. Diet, Nutrition, and Oral Health in Older Adults: A Review of the Literature. Dent J (Basel). 2023 Sep 19;11(9):222. doi: 10.3390/dj11090222. PMID:
[ii] https://hwd.health.gov.au/resources/publications/factsheet-alld-dental-prosthetists-2017.pdf
[iii] https://www.adia.org.au/tga.html
Disclaimer – Always consult your oral health professional for expert advice about your unique personal situation. The information given here is of a general nature and for the purpose of education only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your oral health specialist
Northern Rivers Denture Clinic is located in the heart of Tweed Heads, southern Gold Coast. Finally have the smile you deserve with handcrafted, quality dentures.
