NHS Denture question....

woolythoughts

Hi

Question for our resident dentists?

My husband has had dentures for nearly 40 years after he had a fight with a rugby upright and the upright won. Because he's had them for so long, his bottom gum is nearly non existent at the front. He is going to need a new set of dentures soon as his bottom ones are very very loose.

Recently on holiday in Goa, we looked at getting them done there. They recommended implants in the lower jaw to hook the dentures onto. We decided not to go this route because the treatment would have meant going into the dentist on everyday of our 7 days in the town which ruled out many of the things we planned.

He is still registered with an NHS dentist in his old town and could get treatment there however he phoned up and asked about denture implants and was told the NHS do not do this.

So my question is, what other method could NHS dentures use to grip onto non existent bottom gums?

When it comes to stuff like this he's reluctant to spend money on himself so is balking at the cost of them at my private dentist. If there is a sensible alternative, he'd much rather use the NHS but I don't want him to go this route if it really would be a bodge job and not be a long term solution.

I know its hard to say without seeing the patient but I don't know if its possible to suggest options which we can research ourselves.

brook2jack

There really is no substitute for implants to retain lower dentures when virtually all the gum (bone) has gone. These are not available on the NHS.

Either he accepts his bottom dentures are always going to be loose or he saves up for implants.

If he is having implant retained dentures he will be looking around £4000 in this country.

Do not go abroad to have complicated work done. The best work really well done still can go wrong and no dentist in this country will touch it as they would then become jointly liable. So then you are faced with a return journey to Goa or wherever. You have not the legal protection or back up if things go wrong.

I have seen some excellent work from abroad and some truly dreadful where patients have spent all their money, have problems and cannot afford to get them fixed as the NHS will not pick up the pieces.

izzybella16

Would £4,000 be for mini implants?

Delete33

So are we talking approx £8000 for upper and lower retained Dentures ?????????????

izzybella16

The standard is 4 implants per jaw, roughly £1500-2000 per implant so £6000-8000 per jaw then cost of denture.

Delete33

Blo__y Hell. I better get saving.

brook2jack

Actually that's wrong .

Most dentures can be placed on two implants upper and lower if sufficient quality and quantity of bone. £4000 is the median price for a simple lower implant retained denture , many will do cheaper eg £3000 here (this is not a recommendation just an example ) http://www.prodentalcupar.co.uk/images/PDF/implant_retained_dentures.pdf this is for implants and denture.

Two full implant retained dentures will come to between £4500 and £10,000 if more implants are used , or bar connectors etc.

A budget option if to use your present dentures, if suitable, with just the implants and connectors to pay for.

Don't forget to budget for replacement dentures and connectors as the NHS will not provide dentures that are implant retained.

It is important to check it is a well known implant brand as it is a problem is an implant company ceases production to find the replacement connector parts.

Delete33

Couldn't afford to pay all at once, so how much would this treatment be with monthly finance Approx.

brook2jack

Many surgeries offer 0% finance so you would be best contacting direct and asking. Standard terms are for 12 months, but some will do longer .

izzybella16

Better off getting a personal loan, can spread over 5 years and usually lower interest rate.

izzybella16

£10,000 over 5 years will be less than £200 a month.