Both general dentists and prosthodontists make dentures, but the right choice depends on how complex your situation is. A general dentist can handle straightforward cases, while a prosthodontist brings three extra years of specialized training for more challenging fits. If you need implant-supported dentures, an oral surgeon or periodontist may also be involved to place the implants themselves.
General Dentists Handle Straightforward Cases
Your general dentist completes four years of dental school and is trained in broad dental care: cleanings, fillings, X-rays, crowns, and basic restorative work. Many general dentists routinely make both full and partial dentures, and for patients with healthy ridges and no major bone loss, a general dentist is often the most convenient and cost-effective option. They already know your dental history, and you won’t need a referral.
Where general dentists sometimes reach their limits is with unusual anatomy, significant bone loss, or cases that require a full-mouth reconstruction. If a general dentist feels your case is beyond their typical scope, they’ll refer you to a prosthodontist.
Prosthodontists Specialize in Complex Dentures
A prosthodontist is a dentist who completed three additional years of postgraduate training focused entirely on replacing and restoring teeth. They handle full-mouth reconstructions, advanced crowns, bridges, dental implants, and complex dentures. Only about 2% of dentists in the U.S. are prosthodontists, so you may need to travel a bit farther to see one.
What sets a prosthodontist apart for denture work is the precision of the fit. They take detailed measurements of your mouth, gums, and jaw movement, then factor in your facial structure and lip support to create dentures that look natural and stay secure. If you have significant bone loss, an unusual jaw shape, or bite problems, a prosthodontist can adapt the design to work with your specific anatomy rather than forcing a standard approach.
Prosthodontists also design implant-supported dentures that snap onto dental implants for much better stability than conventional removable dentures. They typically coordinate the overall treatment plan even when a surgeon handles the implant placement itself.
Who Places Implants for Implant-Supported Dentures
If you’re considering dentures that anchor to implants, more than one specialist is usually involved. An oral surgeon or periodontist handles the surgical side: extracting any remaining damaged teeth, performing bone grafting where you’ve lost jawbone density, and placing the implants into the bone. Once the implants heal, your general dentist or prosthodontist takes impressions, has the denture fabricated at a lab, and attaches it to the implants.
This team approach means you may visit two or three different offices during the process, though some larger practices house multiple specialists under one roof.
What the Denture Process Looks Like
Regardless of which dentist you see, the process follows a similar sequence spread across several appointments over weeks or months.
- Extractions and healing. Any remaining damaged teeth are removed first. Your ridges then need time to heal and change shape before impressions are taken. This healing period varies but can take several weeks.
- Initial impressions. Your dentist takes molds of your mouth to create study models.
- Wax rims and final impressions. A plastic base with a wax block is shaped inside your mouth so the lab knows exactly where to position the teeth. A more precise final impression is taken at the same visit.
- Wax try-in. The lab sets denture teeth into wax on the base, and you try them in. This is the easiest stage to make changes, since the teeth can still be repositioned. Some people need more than one try-in appointment.
- Denture delivery. The finished denture is placed, checked for fit and appearance, and minor adjustments are made on the spot.
- Follow-up adjustments. A few more visits are common to fine-tune comfort for eating and speaking.
Some offices now use digital scanning and computer-aided milling instead of traditional molds. Digital workflows capture more precise images of your mouth, which often means fewer adjustment visits, less slippage, and shorter wait times between appointments.
Cost Differences by Denture Type
The type of dentist you see and the materials used both affect price. Based on 2024 national data, full removable dentures (upper and lower plates) fall into roughly three tiers:
- Low-cost dentures: $350 to $900, averaging around $450
- Conventional mid-range dentures: $1,500 to $3,650, averaging around $1,970
- Premium dentures: $5,000 to $12,400, averaging around $6,500
Premium dentures use higher-quality materials and more customization for a natural appearance. Prosthodontists generally charge more than general dentists for the same type of denture, reflecting their additional training and the complexity of cases they typically take on. Implant-supported dentures add the cost of surgery and implants on top of the denture itself, pushing total costs significantly higher.
Ongoing Care After You Get Dentures
Your jaw and gums continue to change shape over time, which means even well-fitting dentures eventually need professional attention. The most common maintenance procedure is a reline, where your dentist reshapes the inner surface of the denture to match your current gum contours. A soft reline lasts about one to two years, while a hard reline lasts at least two years.
Signs you need a reline include looseness, sore spots, or increasing difficulty eating and speaking. Your general dentist can handle routine relines and adjustments. If the denture needs a more significant redesign or you develop complications, a prosthodontist may step in. Either way, plan on annual checkups so your dentist can catch fit issues before they cause discomfort or damage to your gums.