Can I do just one arch? And should it be the top or the bottom?

Yes, and it's common

One arch is a normal case. We design and build it the same way, and doing one now doesn't stop you doing the other later.

Most people split it up because of cost. Some only need one arch done.

For the biggest visible change, start with the upper

The upper is what people see. It sets the look of your smile, so it gives you the most visible change for your money.

It's also where we make the design decisions. The lower is easier to adapt around what's already there, so starting with the upper sets the shape for everything that follows.

Already in dentures? Maybe the lower

This is the exception people miss.

An upper denture stays in fairly well because it seals against the roof of your mouth. A lower denture has nothing to seal against. Anyone who wears one knows it moves all the time, and it's the more miserable of the two.

So if you wear dentures top and bottom, fixing the lower first may make a much bigger difference to your day, while your upper denture keeps doing its job.

How long will the gap be?

The right answer depends on your timeline.

A year or two between arches is usually fine. Wear your upper denture, get the lower done, and come back when you're ready.

Five or ten years is different. Over that long, an upper denture pressing against a firm lower arch tends to wear away the bone under it. Upper bone is softer to start with, and once it's gone it doesn't come back.

So if the second arch is a long way off, it's worth looking hard for a way to do both, because the wait itself has a cost that only shows up later.

Tell us what your timeline really looks like. It changes what we'd recommend.

Why the top teeth usually go first

If you've lost more teeth on top than on the bottom, it isn't anything you did. It comes down to anatomy.

The bone is different. Upper jawbone is softer and lower jawbone is firmer. That affects how teeth hold and how implants settle in.

Upper molars have more roots. An upper molar usually has three roots and a lower molar two. Where roots split there's a space that can trap bacteria once gum disease opens it up. So an upper molar has more places for trouble to start, and once it starts it moves faster.

Your tongue shields the lower teeth. When you eat and drink, your tongue covers the lower teeth a little, so over a lifetime they see less sugar and acid.

It shows up afterwards too. When we do have to replace an implant, it's usually an upper one.

Why one arch costs more than half

Two single arches cost more than one full-mouth case. One arch takes nearly the same time, the same team and the same number of visits as a full mouth. The surgery is shorter, and almost nothing else is. The fee reflects that.

If one arch is the right choice for you, that's what we'll recommend.

Teeth on the other arch, in the meantime

If there are teeth on the other arch that clearly need to come out, we'll usually take care of them while you're here.

Often at no charge. Sometimes we charge and credit it toward the second arch later. We may also reshape what's left so your teeth meet more comfortably in the meantime.

If we can see a problem that would hurt you or cost you bone before you're back, we'd rather fix it now.

What we'll ask you

Four things decide it: what you wear now, what bothers you most day to day, what your bone looks like, and how long until you can do the second arch.

Bring honest answers, money included. They help us build a better plan for you.