If you’ve ever had dentures, you may have experienced the inconvenience of them breaking. And a broken denture is not uncommon, and with broken dentures, everyday tasks become much more challenging, even embarrassing.
If you wear dentures, you need to be prepared in case they crack or break, and at Alex Bratic Dental Care, we’re here to help you if they do break!
Why Do Dentures Break?
Your dentures can break for many reasons. It could be that they are no longer a great fit. Over time, denture wearers lose bone in their jaws, and this can cause dentures to fit poorly, drop out, or break.
If dentures are not replaced on a regular basis – 7 years is the maximum most dentists expect– as your jaw bone and facial structure change, your dentures will almost certainly become ill fitting and require replacement.
When dentures do not fit correctly, you not only lose confidence in your smile and ability to chew, but it also makes them much more prone to breaking.
Dentures also break because they are not as strong natural teeth. Dentures are made from acrylic, metal, or a combination of the two and, unfortunately, they deteriorate over time. Once the materials in your dentures begin to age, a bite into a previously safe food may cause one of the teeth in the denture to crack or break off. This can also happen when chewing with a denture that no longer fits.
Another common cause of cracking or breakage is when dentures fall out of the mouth or are accidentally dropped, often during cleaning. One way to be safe while cleaning dentures is to always clean them over a full basin of water, which will protect them if they fall.
Through constant handling, talking, chewing, etc. combined with being in a moist environment, the metal or acrylic materials simply break down and become more susceptible to stain, wear, cracks, and breaking.
Stains and chips can also happen over time, though these do not add up to a dental emergency, making an appointment to get them looked at can help you resolve the problem and regain confidence in your smile.
What To Do If Your Dentures Break?
Stop Using Your Denture! Damaged dentures can be dangerous to your oral health, leading to sores and cuts of the soft tissue, which can lead to infection.
Of course, you should contact Alex Bratic Dental Care as soon as possible. But prior to that what you can do to preserve what remains of your dentures in the meantime.
A Broken Tooth
Dentures are made from solid materials, so it’s rare to see an entire denture break. Most commonly, a tooth chips or falls out of the larger denture. When this happens, the first thing you want to do is find the missing tooth. Having the tooth greatly increases the chances of repair. Once you have located your tooth it is time to call your Alex Bratic Dental Care dentist so that your tooth can be repaired properly.
In Case Of A Cracked Denture
This occurs less often. If it does happen, do the following:
- Remove the denture.
- Dry it off. See if the pieces still fit together snugly.
- If they don’t, check for loose pieces in your mouth or on the floor around you.
- Store the denture until you can see Alex Bratic Dental Care.
Schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible!
Can I Fix My Own Denture?
You shouldn’t fix any denture break by yourself. If you fix it yourself, you can further damage your dentures and your mouth. Despite some online advice, it is not a good idea to repair the tooth with superglue. Using superglue makes it more difficult to repair the tooth precisely, meaning you will end up spending more on repairs. Also, superglue does not provide a strong hold and the denture will likely break again, potentially losing pieces.
A home-repaired denture can cause irritation, sores, and even problems with your jaw. Leave repairs to the professionals at Alex Bratic Dental Care.
The type and cause of a break determines if it can be repaired. Sometimes we may be able to repair your denture in one visit, in some we may need to send it out to the dental lab, or take a mould for a complete replacement.
Comfort, Convenience, and Excellent Care at Alex Bratic
Alex Bratic Dental Care in Beenleigh delivers quality dental services to patients of all ages. If you or your loved one needs dentures, has a dental condition, or just needs a simple checkup, we’re here for you!
Alex Bratic Dental Care is located on City Road near the Pacific Motorway near Beenleigh Station, with convenient public transport nearby and free onsite parking.
Same day emergency appointment is available!
Call (07) 3287 2627 or visit us at 113 City Road in Beenleigh.
