Many prisoners need to wear dentures. But getting dentures takes work for a prisoner. Some correctional facilities allow convicts to wear dentures, and others don’t.
Also, there are various procedures that a prisoner needs to go through to get dentures. To know which prisons allow prisoners to wear dentures and how is the process to access dental treatments, read the entire article.
Are Prisoners Allowed to Wear Dentures?
Many inmates need to replace their missing teeth to eat and speak properly. It’s an essential treatment for several prisoners. Fortunately, in most correctional facilities, inmates are allowed to get dental treatments, including wearing dentures.
Usually, dentures are available inside a correctional facility, but getting them is quite difficult. It’s because of the lengthy procedure of getting permission, which is usually not seen in society. Not every country in the world lets its prisoners wear dentures.
For example, only prisoners that already had dentures before coming into prison are allowed to keep them in federal correctional facilities in the United States. If an inmate loses his teeth after imprisonment, he doesn’t get permission to get dentures.
How Do Prisoners Get Dentures in Prison?
The process of getting dentures in prison is different from country to country. Usually, the system to get dentures is submitting a form or completing a medical request to the dental clinic of the particular correctional facility.
Prisoners get notified after making their request (but they must wait a few days). At first, the offenders get a schedule for a basic dental checkup.
After the checkup, dentists will decide whether the inmate needs to wear dentures. If the dentist says yes to the dentures, the prison will collect custom-made teeth that fit him perfectly.
Finally, the dentist will give him a schedule for the fitting session. In government-run prisons, charges may sometimes be applicable; however, private prisons require dental treatments with the prisoner’s own money.
How Much Dentures Cost for Prisoners?
Depending on the financial status of a prison, an inmate is charged various amounts for dentures.
While some corrections facilities will pay for the offenders’ dentures, other prisons may require prisoners to pay the entire bill themselves.
In some prisons, the cost of wearing dentures is higher than outside; in others, the cost is less.
What Are the Challenges Faced by Prisoners in Getting Dentures?
Getting dentures inside prison can be challenging. An inmate has to go through a long process. Sometimes they wait for weeks and need permission to wear dentures.
Here are the challenges that prisoners generally face in getting dentures in prison.
- A lengthy procedure of requesting a dental checkup
- Waiting for weeks to get the reports
- Waiting for the arrival of necessary dental equipment
- Compromising the quality of dentures
- Sometimes spending more money than usual on dentures
Final Words
In prison, many prisoners come with dentures. However, some inmates need dentures after losing teeth in fights or accidents.
You may have thought any prisoner could wear dentures. However, the truth is it’s allowed in some correctional facilities, and in others, wearing dentures isn’t allowed.
FAQs
Are prisoners allowed to get dental care?
Yes, every prisoner has the right to get dental care. Although getting all the dental treatments properly is hard, they are given some treatment to reduce dental issues.
Are dentures important for prisoners?
Dentures are essential for every person who has lost teeth, whether an ordinary person or a prisoner. Dentures help an offender to eat and talk properly.
Why do prisoners need dentures?
In some prisons, inmate violence is a common thing. They often get into fights and thus lose teeth. Such offenders need dentures to continue talking and eating without facing problems.
