When you've lost all teeth in your upper or lower jaw—or both—full dentures restore your ability to eat, speak, and smile confidently. At Dental Sedation Ottawa, we specialize in making the denture process comfortable and stress-free through comprehensive sedation options—from gentle relaxation to complete sleep—so you can receive the care you need without fear or anxiety.
Full dentures, also called complete dentures, are removable appliances that replace all the teeth in your upper jaw, lower jaw, or both. Think of them as a complete set of replacement teeth that rest on your gums. Unlike partial dentures that anchor to remaining natural teeth, full dentures rely on suction, gravity, and your mouth's anatomy to stay in place.
Modern dentures have come a long way from the wooden teeth of centuries past. Today's dentures use high-quality acrylic resin for the pink gum-colored base and durable composite or porcelain for the teeth. When properly fitted and designed, they look remarkably natural—most people won't know you're wearing dentures unless you tell them.
Full dentures typically last 5-7 years before needing replacement, though the fit often requires adjustment before then as your gums and bone change shape. With advances in materials and techniques, modern dentures are more comfortable, natural-looking, and functional than ever before.
At our Ottawa dental clinic, we understand that losing teeth and getting dentures can feel overwhelming. Whether you need extractions before dentures or are replacing old dentures, we make comfort our top priority through sedation dentistry options tailored to your anxiety level.
Mild relaxation for simple procedures like impressions and denture adjustments with minimal anxiety. You stay awake and aware, and effects wear off within minutes. Learn more about nitrous oxide
Medication taken before your appointment creates drowsiness and reduces anxiety. Perfect for moderate nervousness during extraction appointments or extended procedures. You'll need someone to drive you home. Explore oral sedation
Deeper sedation for high anxiety or when removing multiple teeth before dentures, with continuous monitoring throughout. You'll have little to no memory of the procedure. Ideal for complex extraction appointments. Discover IV sedation
Complete sleep with zero awareness, administered by board-certified medical anesthesiologists (Dr. Hesham Talab, MD MSc PhD FRCPC FASE and Dr. Asad Mirghassemi, MD MSc FRCPC). Best for severe dental phobia, full-mouth extractions, or when placing immediate dentures. Hospital-grade safety right in our clinic. Learn about general anesthesia
With appropriate sedation, especially IV sedation or general anesthesia, we can remove all remaining teeth and place immediate temporary dentures in a single appointment. This means one recovery period instead of multiple traumatic visits.
Questions? We're here to help.
Full dentures become necessary when you've lost all teeth in an arch (upper or lower jaw) or will be losing them soon due to severe decay, advanced gum disease, or trauma. While losing teeth feels devastating, modern dentures can dramatically improve your quality of life.
Advanced Periodontal Disease: Severe gum disease destroys the bone supporting your teeth. Eventually teeth become so loose they can't function properly and must be removed.
Extensive Decay: When most teeth have large cavities or failed restorations, and the cost or complexity of saving them becomes impractical, full dentures offer a fresh start.
Failed Previous Dentistry: When existing crowns, bridges, and other restorations have failed repeatedly, and remaining tooth structure is inadequate for further treatment.
Severe Wear or Grinding: Years of grinding can wear teeth down to nubs. When teeth are too short to restore with crowns, dentures become necessary.
Trauma or Injury: Accidents can damage multiple teeth beyond repair.
Ready to take the next step? Our team is here for you.
These are made after all teeth are removed and gums have healed completely—typically 8-12 weeks. The advantage is optimal fit since impressions are taken of fully healed ridges. The disadvantage is going without teeth during the healing period, though some patients accept this trade-off for better initial fit.
These are fabricated before your teeth are extracted and placed immediately after extraction—you never go without teeth. Impressions and measurements are taken while your teeth are still present. After extractions, the immediate denture is inserted right away. The main advantage is no toothless period. The disadvantage is that fit isn't as precise initially since gums shrink significantly during healing, requiring multiple adjustments and often a reline or remake after 3-6 months.
For patients who find conventional dentures too loose (especially lower dentures), dental implants can dramatically improve retention. Two to four implants are placed in the jaw, and the denture snaps onto them, providing excellent stability without the expense of fixed implant teeth. This option combines the affordability of dentures with much better function. Learn about implant-supported dentures
Creating custom dentures typically requires 4-6 appointments over 4-8 weeks. Our experienced denturist works closely with our dental team to ensure optimal results.
We examine your mouth, discuss your needs and expectations, and take preliminary impressions to create custom impression trays. If extractions are needed, we develop a treatment plan and discuss sedation options.
If you have remaining teeth, we remove them under your chosen sedation. Immediate dentures can be placed the same day. If teeth were previously removed and healed, we take precise final impressions using custom trays and special materials that capture every detail of your gums.
We establish proper jaw relationship and vertical dimension (how far apart your jaws should be). You select tooth shade and shape from samples. We consider your facial features, age, gender, and personal preferences. The goal is natural-looking teeth that suit you.
Dentures are set up in wax for trial. You see how they'll look, and we check fit, bite, appearance, and tooth position. This is your opportunity to request changes before final processing.
Your completed dentures are inserted. We check fit, make immediate adjustments, review care instructions, and provide detailed guidance on adapting to dentures. Follow-up appointments are scheduled.
Ready to get started?
Getting used to dentures takes time and patience. The first few weeks are the hardest, but most patients adapt well within a month.
Most people adapt fully within 2-3 months. Lower dentures are always more challenging than uppers due to tongue movement and less suction. Some patients never achieve perfect adaptation with conventional lower dentures—implant support helps tremendously in these cases.
You'll never have perfect function like natural teeth. Chewing efficiency with dentures is typically 20-30% of natural teeth. But properly fitted dentures allow most people to eat a varied diet and speak clearly.
Even with good care, dentures wear out. Teeth wear down, acrylic degrades, and fit changes as bone resorbs. Plan to replace dentures every 5-7 years. Attempting to extend their lifespan beyond this leads to poor fit, decreased function, and TMJ problems.
Call us at (613) 482-0501 if: Dentures crack or break, chronic sore spots develop, dentures become very loose, you notice white patches or sores in your mouth, or you have difficulty eating or speaking despite giving yourself time to adapt.
Full dentures typically cost $1,500-$3,500 per arch (upper or lower), depending on tooth quality and complexity. A complete set (both arches) costs $3,000-$6,000. Immediate dentures cost slightly more due to additional appointments and temporary reline requirements.
Extraction costs vary based on the number and complexity of teeth being removed. Sedation fees vary by type and duration.
Most dental insurance covers dentures at 50% as a major restorative procedure, with annual maximums typically $1,500-$3,000. Many insurance plans have waiting periods for major work. We provide direct billing to major insurers and accept the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP).
Payment plans help make dentures affordable. When you consider that dentures restore your ability to eat, speak, and smile confidently—dramatically improving quality of life—they represent excellent value.
Our patients consistently rate us 5 stars for gentle, anxiety-free care. Read verified patient experiences on Google.
View All Reviews on GoogleDentist Referrals Welcome: We collaborate with referring dentists throughout Ottawa and Eastern Ontario for complex denture cases and dental sedation. Learn about our referral program
We welcome patients from throughout Ottawa including Kanata, Nepean, Orléans, Stittsville, Manotick, and Greely, as well as Eastern Ontario communities (Rockland, Embrun, Russell, Winchester, Kemptville, Carleton Place, Arnprior, Renfrew, Pembroke, Cornwall, Hawkesbury) and West Quebec (Gatineau, Aylmer, Hull, Chelsea, Wakefield, Buckingham).
