Denture Cost
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Expert tips for choosing dental cover
Our health insurance expert, Steven Spicer, has some helpful tips for you when considering the right health insurance policy for your needs.
Steven Spicer
Executive General Manager – Health, Life & Energy
Understand your inclusions
When looking at policies, it’s important that you understand what each inclusion covers. Dental services are divided into general, major, orthodontics and endodontics, and each of these groups cover different dental procedures. So, for example, if you’re planning to claim for dentures, you’ll need to have major dental as part of your policy. Understanding your inclusions will let you know what you can claim for and help avoid unexpected out-of-pocket expenses.
Your health fund may have agreements with certain dentists
When you take out dental cover, you’re free to visit any qualified dentist you like. It’s worth knowing, though, that your health fund may have preferred dentists they have agreements with. Visiting one of these dentists could have benefits such as higher rebates, reduced costs and even gap-free treatment.
Understand your limits
Whatever policy you purchase, you’ll have limits on how much you can claim. Along with your annual limit (how much you can claim in a year), you may also have sub-limits, group limits and service limits, among others. Policies with more limits are likely to be cheaper; however, this will come at the cost of flexibility.
What are dentures?
Dentures (false teeth) are designed for tooth replacement.1,2 Dentures can improve the patient’s ability to eat and speak while making them feel more confident in their appearance.
Modern dentures are typically made with an acrylic resin (plastic) or metal frame (usually cobalt chrome), with the false teeth made of plastic.3 A dentist or dental prosthetist can make and help fit your denture; due to everyone’s mouth and requirements being different, dentures are custom-made to fit each patient’s mouth.1,3 Denture fittings can take two to four appointments. Your gums and jawbone will change as you age, so you may require a new set of dentures after several years.
It can take a few months to adjust to a new set of dentures. It’s normal for dentures to need adjustments to help them fit better. Modern dentistry aims to help patients keep their natural teeth whenever possible, so your dentist may recommend a different treatment plan if they believe they can save your tooth.
Types of dentures
There are three types of dentures, which are:1,2,3
- Full dentures (also called complete dentures) are designed for significant tooth loss in your entire upper or lower jaw or both.
- Partial dentures are designed to replace some of your teeth and are held in place around your remaining teeth with clasps.
- Implant-supported dentures are full dentures stabilised by two or more dental implants. While the dental implants are permanent, the dentures can still be removed. Due to the surgical component, this is usually a more expensive option.
Dentures can also be grouped by other means, including cost-effective to high-quality materials, depending on which clinic you visit. The best denture solution for you will depend on a variety of factors, including how many teeth need to be replaced and your overall oral health.
Immediate dentures and conventional dentures
There are both temporary and permanent denture options available; these are known as immediate and conventional dentures. The most significant difference between immediate dentures and traditional dentures is that immediate dentures are temporary.
Immediate dentures can be made before the tooth is removed and are designed to be placed in the mouth straight after the removal procedure. On the other hand, conventional dentures aren’t fitted until the gum has healed and are custom-made to fit the patient’s mouth.
While immediate dentures are more affordable, they don’t tend to last as long or fit as well as conventionally made dentures.
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How much do dentures cost in Australia?
When it comes to denture prices, the price range is vast due to the wide range of products and options available. Below is a general guide to advertised prices for dentures:
| Type of denture | Price range* |
|---|---|
| Partial dentures | $600-$2,500 |
| Full denture (just upper or lower) | $1,000-$3,800 |
| Full dentures (upper and lower) | $2,000-$5,000 or more |
|
*These prices cover only the dentures and don’t factor in consultations, additional dental work and other costs. Many advertised prices stipulate costs are ‘from’ the stated amount; this indicates prices may be higher, depending on your procedure. Source: The above price ranges are based on a random selection of dental clinics across Australia.4 Other clinics may charge more or less for the same procedures. |
|
The cost of dentures can vary on a few key factors, including:4
- Denture type (e.g. full set of dentures, lower denture, upper denture)
- Whether you need teeth removed
- The material used for dentures (e.g. acrylic dentures)
- Any follow-up costs (e.g. adjustments, denture repairs, denture relines)
- Any additional procedures you need (e.g. gum disease treatment)
- The complexity of the procedure
- Your choice of denture clinic/dental clinic.
Dentures are custom-made for each client and can take several visits to get right.1 Therefore, the best way to get an accurate price is to consult your dentist or dental prosthetist. Also, remember that clinics can set their own prices.
Are dentures covered by private health insurance?
Private health insurance can help cover the cost of dentures, providing you have the right inclusions in your policy. Most dental work, including dentures, will be covered by an extras policy, not hospital cover.
Dental services are categorised into general, major, endodontics and orthodontics; dentures are considered major dental, but may not be included on all policies with major dental. It is therefore a good idea to check your policy inclusions. If you are unsure, speak to a health insurance expert or your health fund.
With any extras policy, be aware of your limits and rebates, as these will determine how much you can claim and how much you’ll have to pay for yourself. Your limits and rebates will help determine how much of your new dentures will be covered and how much you’ll have to pay for yourself. Different health insurance policies will offer different limits on how often you can get replacement dentures, repairs, relines, general check-ups and maintenance.
Whenever you take out health insurance, you’ll need to be aware of any waiting periods you’ll need to serve before you can make a claim. Usually, the waiting period for major dental is 12 months.
Are dentures covered by Medicare?
Medicare doesn’t cover dental treatment, including denture services. You may be able to access denture treatment through public dental services if you have one of the following:
- Health Care Card
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
- Pensioner card issued by Department of Veteran’s Affairs
- Commonwealth Seniors Card
- Veteran Card (Gold or White Card).
Whether you can receive dental treatment through the public system can vary depending on your state or territory. Even if you qualify for public dental services, the waiting times can be very long, especially compared to private clinics.
Meet our health insurance expert, Steven Spicer
As the Executive General Manager of Health, Life and Energy, Steven Spicer is a strong believer in the benefits of private cover and knows just how valuable the peace of mind that comes with cover can be. He is passionate about demystifying the health insurance industry and advocates for the benefits of comparison when it comes to saving money on your premiums.
Want to learn more about dental insurance?
1 Health Direct – Dentures. Accessed February 2025.
2 Better Health Channel – Dentures. Accessed February 2025.
3 Australian Dental Association (ADA): Teeth.org – Dentures. Accessed February 2025.
4 Prices taken from 10 randomly chosen dental clinics from around Australia. Accessed February 2025.