Does Medicare cover dentures?

Does Medicare pay for dentures?

No, not in most cases. Medicare.gov says that in most cases Medicare doesn't cover dental services like routine cleanings, fillings and tooth extractions (removals), or items like dentures and implants, and you pay all costs for non-covered services, including most dental services. CMS's Medicare Benefit Policy Manual states the rule directly: dentures are excluded from coverage.

The manual names one exception. When a denture or a portion of a denture is an integral (built-in) part of a covered prosthesis, such as an obturator to fill an opening in the palate, Medicare covers it as part of that prosthesis. See Medicare coverage for prosthetic devices.

Does Medicare cover getting my mouth ready for dentures?

No. CMS lists dental services performed in connection with excluded services, like preparing the mouth for dentures, among the dental services Medicare doesn't cover. CMS's examples include:

• Alveoplasty (surgical improvement of the shape and condition of the alveolar process)
• Dental ridge reconstruction
• Frenectomy
• Removing the torus palatinus (a bony growth on the roof of the mouth)

When does Medicare cover dental care?

Medicare may cover some dental services you get when you're admitted as a hospital inpatient for your dental procedure, either because of your underlying medical condition or the severity of the procedure. Medicare may also cover specific inpatient or outpatient dental services that you must get because they're linked to the success of a covered medical treatment you need, like:

• An oral exam and dental treatment before a heart valve replacement or a bone marrow, organ or kidney transplant
• A procedure, like a tooth extraction, to treat a mouth infection before cancer treatment services like chemotherapy
• Treatment for a complication you experience while getting head and neck cancer treatment services
• Dental or oral exams, and medically necessary tests and treatments to remove an oral or dental infection, before and while getting Medicare-covered dialysis services, if you have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)

What do I pay for dentures and dental care with Medicare?

You pay all costs for non-covered services, including dentures in most cases. For Part B-covered dental services, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after you meet the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), and if you get the covered service in an outpatient hospital or other facility setting, you also pay a copayment to the facility. For a Part A-covered inpatient hospital stay in 2026, you pay the $1,736 Part A deductible for each benefit period, then $0 each day for days 1-60. See Medicare's dental care rules for the full list of costs.

Can Medicare Advantage, Medigap or Medicaid help pay for dental care?

Some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans may cover and pay for routine and other dental services as an added benefit, so check with the plan to find out what dental services it covers. Medicare Advantage plans must cover all medically necessary services that Original Medicare covers, and rules and costs vary by plan. A Medicare Cost Plan or a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) plan may also cover some extra benefits, like certain dental services.

Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance) plans generally don't cover dental care. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, some states may cover and pay for routine and other dental services, so check with your state Medicaid agency to find out what dental services are covered.