Dentures in Westchester

If you are missing most or all of your teeth, dentures give you a complete set of teeth again — teeth you can eat with, speak with, and smile with. At PhD Dental in Westchester, dentures are made at our Westchester office at 6907 La Tijera Blvd, Suite A, Los Angeles, CA 90045: conventional full dentures, partial dentures, immediate dentures, implant overdentures that snap onto implants and stay put, and fixed full-arch implant dentures that are screwed onto implants and do not come out at all. Which kind fits you depends on how many teeth you have left, the health of your gums and jawbone, and your budget — start with an exam and a full set of x-rays for $69, and you will get a written cost breakdown before any work begins, so you know exactly where you stand before you commit to anything.

What are dentures?

Dentures are removable teeth — the “fake teeth” people talk about — made to replace missing teeth and the gum around them. A full denture replaces every tooth in the upper jaw, the lower jaw, or both. A partial denture replaces some teeth and clips onto the healthy teeth that remain. A temporary partial denture, sometimes called a flipper, replaces one or a few teeth for a limited time — while you heal, or while a longer-term plan is being made. Dentures are made for you, from records of your mouth, by a high-quality dental laboratory our offices work with — so the shape, fit, and look are matched to your face and your bite, not pulled off a shelf.

I still have some healthy teeth — can I get a partial denture?

Yes. If some of your teeth are healthy and strong, a partial denture replaces only the missing ones and holds onto the teeth you keep. Keeping your own teeth where they are healthy is usually the better plan — your natural teeth help hold the partial steady and help preserve the jawbone under them. If some of your remaining teeth are damaged, the exam decides which ones are strong enough to support a partial and which ones need treatment first, or cannot be kept: a partial denture depends on its supporting teeth, so building it on teeth that are failing leads to a denture that fails with them. At your consultation at our Westchester office we will tell you honestly which teeth are worth keeping and which are not, and plan the partial around the teeth that stay. You do not have to fix everything in your mouth before a partial can be made — but the teeth the partial holds onto have to be sound enough to hold it, and we explain exactly where that line falls in your case before anything is made.

My teeth have to come out — do I have to go without teeth?

No. An immediate denture is made in advance, from records taken before your extraction appointment, so it can be placed right after the teeth are removed. You leave with teeth in place while your gums heal underneath. As healing changes the shape of your gums over the following months, the denture is adjusted to keep it fitting — that settling-in period is a normal part of the process, and we plan for it with you. A conventional denture, by contrast, is made after the gums have healed from extractions, so it is fitted to the healed shape of your mouth from the start. Which route fits you — and the fact that broken roots left in the gum have to be removed before a denture can fit over them properly — is worked out at your consultation, before any teeth come out.

How are dentures made, and what does the process look like?

The steps are similar for most dentures:

• 1. Consultation. Exam, full x-rays, and a review of your remaining teeth, gums, and jawbone. You get a written cost breakdown before any work begins.
• 2. Records. Impressions and measurements of your mouth, plus the shade and shape of the teeth, chosen with you — yes, you choose the shade of your denture teeth, with the dentist’s guidance on what looks natural against your skin tone and remaining teeth.
• 3. Fabrication. The laboratory makes your denture from those records. For an overdenture, the implants are placed first and given time to fuse with the bone before the denture is finished to snap onto them — that part of the journey takes longer, and your consultation will lay out the full timeline for your case.
• 4. Fitting and adjustments. Your denture is fitted, your bite is checked, and small adjustments are made as your mouth settles.

My denture slips when I eat — what is a snap-on denture?

A snap-on denture — an implant overdenture — is a removable denture that clips onto dental implants placed in the jaw — typically two implants on the lower jaw and usually four on the upper jaw. Instead of resting only on your gums, it snaps onto the implants and stays seated while you eat and talk, then comes out at night for cleaning like a regular denture. A loose lower denture is the most common reason patients ask about it: the lower denture has the least to hold onto, and two implants change that.

At PhD Dental, the implants under an overdenture are placed by our periodontist, Dr. Ori Levy — a board-certified periodontist (Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology), trained at the UCLA School of Dentistry and in periodontics at the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, with nearly two decades of experience and about 15 years at PhD Dental. He sees patients at our Westchester office on scheduled days. Implant placement is the crucial step in an overdenture, and at PhD Dental it is planned by a specialist around the finished denture: the implant positions are chosen to hold the denture you will actually wear. The denture itself is fabricated by a high-quality dental laboratory, the implants use high-quality components, and the general dentists who restore and fit your denture are experienced and knowledgeable — the whole journey, from implant placement to the finished denture, happens in one practice.

I want teeth that don’t come out at all — what are fixed, screwed-in dentures?

Some patients do not want removable teeth in any form. A fixed full-arch implant denture replaces every tooth in the upper jaw, the lower jaw, or both with a full set of teeth that is secured to dental implants with screws. Patients call them “permanent teeth” or “teeth that don’t come out,” and the treatment is often called All-on-4 or All-on-X, after the small number of implants that hold the whole arch. The teeth stay in your mouth day and night — only your dentist removes them, for maintenance at your checkups.

The difference from a snap-on denture is simple: a snap-on overdenture clips onto its implants and you take it out each night to clean it; a fixed full-arch denture is screwed onto its implants and does not come out at all. Both are far steadier than a denture that rests on your gums alone — the choice is whether your new teeth come out for cleaning or stay fixed in place.

At PhD Dental, fixed full-arch implant dentures are made at our Westchester office. As with an overdenture, the implants are placed by our periodontist, Dr. Ori Levy, who sees patients at our Westchester office on scheduled days, and placement is planned around the finished set of teeth. Our general dentists then restore the treatment — they build and fit the fixed teeth on the implants — and the teeth are fabricated by the same high-quality dental laboratory, using high-quality implant components. The implants are given time to fuse with the bone before the finished teeth are fitted, so the full process takes months rather than days; your consultation will lay out the timeline and the cost for your case before you commit to anything.

Why does my denture move, hurt, or collect food underneath?

A denture rests on living tissue, and both change. The most common reasons a denture that once fit starts to move are that the gum and bone underneath have slowly reshaped — which happens fastest in the first year after teeth are removed, and continues gradually after — that the denture’s teeth have worn, changing the bite, or that a sore spot or a small crack has changed how it seats. A new denture hurting in the first days is common and is usually a pressure spot the dentist can find and relieve at an adjustment visit; a denture of any age that has started falling out, rocking when you eat, or trapping food underneath is telling you the fit has changed, and an exam — not more adhesive — is how the cause is found. The fixes range from a simple adjustment, to a reline (a new surface fitted inside the denture so it matches your gums again), to a new denture when the old one has worn beyond adjusting — and for a lower denture that will not stay put, implants to snap onto are the lasting answer, explained in the overdenture section above. Repairs and relines are a service we offer whether we made your denture or another office did: it starts with an evaluation of the denture’s condition, and what can be repaired or relined — and what it will cost — is confirmed in a written estimate before any work begins.

If your denture breaks or a sore spot makes it painful to wear, call our Westchester office — we provide urgent dental care, and we will evaluate the denture before any work begins.

Getting used to dentures

New dentures take practice — that is normal, and it is a matter of weeks of adjustment for most people, not days. Eating starts easier with soft foods cut into small pieces and chewing on both sides at once; speaking clears up with reading aloud; a partial denture usually feels familiar sooner than a full one because your remaining teeth still do much of the work. Dentures come out at night: your gums need the rest, and nighttime is when the denture is cleaned and stored.

How much do dentures cost?

There is no honest flat price, because the cost depends on the type of denture and your case. What drives the price:

• Full, partial, immediate, implant overdenture, or fixed full-arch. Each is a different amount of laboratory work; the implant options also include the implants and their placement.
• One jaw or both. Replacing the teeth in a single arch costs less than a full set.
• Whether teeth still need to be removed before the denture can be made.
• Whether bone preparation is needed to hold implants securely, for patients choosing an overdenture.

Start with an exam and a full set of x-rays for $69 without insurance — the exam and x-rays are a package and cannot be unbundled. After the exam, you receive a written cost breakdown before any treatment begins. In-house payment plans and financing options are available to help spread the cost.

Does Medi-Cal pay for dentures?

Medi-Cal can cover conventional dentures when they are medically necessary — including immediate dentures when teeth need to be extracted. Dentures are renewable every five years under Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal does not pay for implant overdentures or for fixed full-arch implant dentures. Many Medi-Cal procedures require pre-authorization: we handle the authorization in-house and submit it electronically for you as soon as the diagnosis is made — the plan makes the final decision, and we let you know as soon as it comes back. Coverage depends on your case and your plan, so at our Westchester office we check your coverage before treatment — not after. We also accept these PPO plans: Aetna PPO, MetLife PPO, Delta Dental PPO, Cigna PPO, Guardian PPO, UnitedHealthcare PPO, Anthem Blue Cross PPO, Blue Shield of California PPO, Humana PPO, Principal PPO, Ameritas PPO, United Concordia PPO, Sun Life PPO, Lincoln Financial PPO, Unum PPO, The Hartford PPO, Renaissance Dental PPO, Premier Access PPO, and Health Net PPO. PhD Dental is in network with Delta Dental at all eight offices. Please note we do not accept any HMO plans at this time.

We accept Medi-Cal. We accept Denti-Cal.

Common questions about dentures

Are implant dentures the same as snap-on dentures?

Yes — “implant dentures,” “snap-on dentures,” and “implant overdentures” all describe a removable denture that clips onto implants. It is different from a fixed implant bridge, which does not come out. At your consultation we will explain which arrangement fits your case.

Will my dentures look natural?

Your denture is made from records of your mouth, with the tooth shade and shape chosen with you, and fabricated by a high-quality dental laboratory. The goal is a set of teeth that suits your face — most patients are surprised how much like themselves they look.

How long do dentures last?

Dentures wear with daily use, and the shape of your gums and jaw changes slowly over the years, so the fit of a denture changes with time. Regular checkups and professional cleanings — cleanings start from $125, including fluoride — let us check the fit and the health of your mouth, and adjust or reline the denture when it needs it. Under Medi-Cal, dentures are renewable every five years, which is a fair guide to the working life of a denture even outside that program.

What if I am nervous about extractions or implant placement?

Tell us when you book. Nitrous oxide is offered at select offices, upon request. We can also provide a calming medication for the night before and the morning of your appointment — if you take it, you must have someone drive you to the office and home.

How do I start?

Start with an exam and a full set of x-rays for $69 without insurance. You will get a clear plan — full, partial, immediate, implant overdenture, or fixed implant denture — and a written cost breakdown before you commit to treatment. Walk-ins are welcome at our Westchester office.

Dentures in Westchester and the communities around us

Our Westchester office is on La Tijera Boulevard, and patients come to us for dentures from all over this part of Greater Los Angeles. Our closest neighbors — Ladera Heights, View Park-Windsor Hills, Hyde Park, and Lennox — are just minutes away, and we also see patients from Playa Vista, Leimert Park, Culver City, Mar Vista, Palms, Del Aire, and Hawthorne. From the beach cities and the west side, patients travel in from Playa del Rey, El Segundo, Marina del Rey, Mid-City, Westmont, Vermont Square, West Athens, Lawndale, Venice, Alondra Park, and Manhattan Beach. Wherever you are coming from, your denture journey starts the same way here: an exam, a clear plan, and a written cost breakdown before any work begins.

Book a denture consultation in Westchester

Call our Westchester office to book a denture consultation, or book online anytime. Walk-ins are welcome.

• PhD Dental Westchester: 6907 La Tijera Blvd, Suite A, Los Angeles, CA 90045
• Call: (310) 893-6304
• Book online: Book an appointment
• Hours: Monday–Friday 9:30 AM–6:30 PM, Saturday/Sunday closed. This office is not open on Saturdays; on Saturdays, our Inglewood office is open 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.