Immediate Dentures in Phoenix & North Scottsdale, AZ
 Immediate dentures in Phoenix and North Scottsdale, AZ at Jerome Riddle DDS let you leave your extraction appointment with a full set of teeth, so you never have to go out in public without a smile. We record your impressions and bite before extraction day, the lab builds your denture ahead of time, and we place it right after your remaining teeth come out.
That’s the upside. The honest part is that your gums heal underneath the denture and shrink as they heal. Expect a few adjustment visits, a soft liner or two along the way, and a permanent reline or a new denture once healing settles, usually around six months out.
Immediate dentures are one of the denture options we offer. If you only need one or two teeth replaced, a dental bridge is often the simpler fix, and our overview of tooth loss treatment options compares the two.
On This Page
What Are Immediate Dentures?
 An immediate denture is a complete or partial denture we place the same day your teeth are removed. It also acts like a bandage over the extraction sites, protecting the tissue and helping control bleeding while you heal. For anyone in Phoenix or North Scottsdale facing several extractions at once, it means skipping the weeks without teeth that a conventional denture requires.
Because we make it before your teeth come out, the fit is built from your mouth as it looks today, not as it will look after healing. That’s why the follow-up visits aren’t optional extras. They’re part of the treatment.
Is an Immediate Denture Right for You?
You may be a good candidate if one or more of these sounds familiar:
- Several extractions ahead – You’re losing multiple teeth, especially front or visible teeth.
- Appearance matters while you heal – Work, family, or social plans make weeks without teeth unrealistic.
- Healthy enough for extractions – Some health conditions or oral problems make another approach safer, and we’ll tell you if that applies to you.
Not everyone is a candidate. Your medical history and the condition of your gums and bone decide that, and you’ll get a straight answer at your first visit.
Immediate vs. Conventional Dentures
A conventional denture is made after your gums have healed, typically six to eight weeks after extractions, and you go without teeth in the meantime. Because the tissue has settled, it usually fits more precisely from day one.
An immediate denture trades some of that early precision for never being without teeth. One more trade-off worth knowing: you can’t always preview exactly how the denture will look before extraction day.
Your Immediate Denture Dentists in Phoenix & North Scottsdale
Dr. Jerome Riddle earned his bachelor’s degree at Northern Arizona University and his dental degree at USC, then completed a general practice residency at UCLA and VA hospitals. He’s practiced in the Scottsdale area for more than 20 years. He lays out treatment options based on each patient’s medical history, what treatment is truly necessary, and budget, which matters when you’re weighing an immediate denture against a conventional denture or a bridge.
Dr. Eric Johnston graduated from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in 2017. He enjoys the blend of art, science, and technical skill in dentistry, and that mix is exactly what choosing denture teeth calls for: the shape, shade, and arrangement of each tooth decide how natural your new smile looks.
Your Immediate Denture Process, Step by Step
Most patients go from first exam to a finished, relined denture in roughly six to eight months, depending on whether any back teeth come out first.
Step 1: Exam and Planning (First Visit)
We start with a comprehensive exam, digital X-rays, and images from our intraoral camera, so you can see what we’re seeing. We talk through which teeth need to come out and why. If back teeth are part of the plan, we often remove those first and let them heal for six to eight weeks so the denture fits better.
Step 2: Records and Fabrication (A Few Weeks Before Extraction Day)
We record impressions, your bite, and the tooth shape and shade you want, and we may try in the back teeth to check the fit. The lab builds your denture from these records so it’s ready on extraction day. Our office is open Monday through Thursday, so we’ll schedule extraction day with room for your early follow-up visits.
Step 3: Extraction Day and Delivery (Same Visit)
 We numb the area thoroughly with local anesthesia and remove your remaining teeth here in our office, the same way we handle a routine tooth extraction. You’ll feel pressure, but you shouldn’t feel sharp discomfort. We seat your denture right away and usually ask you to leave it in for the first 24 hours, because taking it out early lets swelling build and can make it hard to put back. If any tooth looks complicated to remove, we’ll talk about whether a specialist referral makes more sense before we set the date.
Step 4: Early Adjustments (First Few Weeks)
We see you soon after extraction day to check sore spots and trim pressure areas. As swelling goes down and your gums shrink, the denture loosens, and we add a soft temporary liner to snug up the fit.
Step 5: Permanent Reline or New Denture (Around Six Months)
Once most of the shrinkage has happened, about six months after extractions, we either reline your immediate denture with permanent material or make a new conventional denture. A permanent reline often means the denture goes to the lab overnight, which is one reason some patients choose a new denture and keep the immediate one as a spare.
Benefits and Realistic Expectations
Immediate dentures solve the hardest part of losing several teeth at once: the in-between.
| • |
No toothless stretch - You walk out of our office with teeth on extraction day, even if work or family plans pick up the next morning.
|
| • |
Protected healing sites - The denture covers the sockets and helps control bleeding.
|
| • |
Speech settles once - You learn to talk with your denture from the start instead of relearning later with a new one.
|
| • |
A closer match to your own smile - We record the shape, color, and arrangement of your natural teeth while some are still there, so the denture can follow them.
|
| • |
Chewing and facial support - You chew better than you could with no teeth, and the denture helps limit the facial changes that can follow extractions. |
What an immediate denture won’t do is fit perfectly from day one. New dentures often feel bulky for a few weeks, saliva may increase at first, and chewing takes practice.
Why Patients Choose Our Office for Immediate Dentures
Your extractions, denture records, delivery, and adjustments all happen at our office on E. Chauncey Lane, right at the Phoenix and North Scottsdale border, so the team that planned your denture is the same team checking your healing. Digital X-rays and our intraoral camera let us show you what’s happening at each visit instead of just describing it.
We also give you the timeline straight, sore spots and relines included, because surprises in the first month are what make this treatment frustrating. If a cracked tooth can’t be saved, a knocked-out tooth leaves a gap, or you’re facing an emergency tooth extraction, we can work immediate denture planning into your next steps when several teeth are involved.
Immediate Denture Cost and Insurance
Cost matters, and we’d rather be upfront about it. Immediate dentures usually cost more than conventional dentures because they take extra planning, soft liners during healing, and more follow-up visits. Your cost depends on how many teeth come out, whether you need a full or partial denture on one arch or both, and whether you choose a permanent reline or a new denture at the six-month mark.
We accept Aetna, Cigna, Delta Dental, and MetLife dental insurance plans, and our front office will review your benefits and give you a detailed fee list with an out-of-pocket estimate before treatment starts. Ask about our financial policy and payment timing at the same time.
For your personal estimate, call 480-991-4410.
Schedule Your Immediate Denture Consultation
Facing extractions soon? Call 480-991-4410 or request an appointment online. Our office is at 7010 E. Chauncey Ln. Suite #140, Phoenix, AZ 85054-3111. Have questions first? Get in touch with our office any day we’re open, Monday through Thursday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my immediate denture feel comfortable right away?
Not completely, because your gums are healing underneath it. Soreness at the extraction sites usually eases over the first week, and a sore spot that’s getting worse instead of better is a sign the denture needs a quick adjustment. Call us rather than wearing through it.
Will I need more relines after the six-month one?
Probably, at some point. Your gums and jawbone keep changing slowly for years after teeth are removed, so most denture wearers need an occasional reline or a remake down the road. We check the fit during your regular dental exam visits so a loose denture gets caught early.
Can I sleep with my immediate denture?
On the first night, yes, since it stays in for the first 24 hours. After that, most people take dentures out at night so their gums can rest, and we’ll give you specific instructions at your first follow-up visit.
Will I be awake for my extractions?
Yes. We use local anesthesia, so you’re awake but the area is numb, and you can raise a hand anytime you need a break. If dental visits make you nervous, our approach to dentistry for anxious patients is worth reading before your visit.
What can I eat the first week?
Soft foods cut into small pieces, chewed on both sides at once to keep the denture stable. Skip straws for the first few days so you don’t disturb the healing sockets.
Does dental insurance cover immediate dentures?
Many dental plans cover part of the cost of dentures, but limits, waiting periods, and annual maximums vary widely. Keep in mind the six-month permanent reline or new denture is usually a separate charge, so ask us to include it when we estimate your benefits.
|
