Should Dentures Be Repaired At Home?

The average lifespan of modern dentures is approximately 10 years. Just like natural teeth, even with the best care dentures can wear down and may break. Unlike natural teeth, dentures are quite fragile and can break easily. Many people will want to try and repair their dentures themselves, but is this a good idea?

Why would your dentures break?

How fragile your dentures are depends on the material they are made from. Cheaper materials tend to break easily, whereas the more expensive dentures will be made from stronger, robust materials that should last longer. But accidents can still happen and your mouth will be continually changing as you age.

The causes of your dentures breaking or bending out of shape include the following:

• Dropping them or sitting on them.
• Biting down on something hard.
• A piece falling off or the dentures cracking due to age and wear and tear.
• The gums moving under the pressure of the dentures, which means the dentures no longer fit.

Or you may need your partial dentures changing if your remaining teeth move or need to be extracted.

Why you shouldn't wear broken dentures

Don't be tempted to ignore your broken dentures and wear them anyway. If something has snapped off, it may leave a sharp edge. Similarly, cracked dentures will not fit well and will become difficult to keep clean, allowing bacteria to grow and spread, increasing the risk of infection.

But your dentures help you to eat and smile with confidence. So of course you will want them fixed as quickly as possible.

How to repair your dentures

Dentures should not be repaired at home using home repair kits or your own tools. If you try to do this,

• You could be left with sharp edges that will cut into your gums and cheeks.
• If you use superglue, you may be affected by the chemicals in the glue and poison yourself.
• Once your dentures have received a botched repair, they often cannot be fixed correctly, and you will need a brand new set.

Instead, take them to your dentist or an emergency denture repair company. Bring every piece of the dentures, even if you believe they are damaged beyond repair.

Depending on the fault, broken dentures are often simple to repair for a professional.

• Cracked dentures can be safely filled and returned to you within the hour.
• Pieces that have broken off can be quickly replaced or filed down so that no sharp edges irritate your mouth.
• If one of the teeth breaks off, your dentist may be able to salvage it and fix it back on.
• If a tooth has fractured, then it will need replacing. This may take more time as the dentist will need to find a tooth that matches in size and colour.

Broken dentures need not cause worry. Simply take all of the pieces to your dentist or an emergency repair clinic, such as Denture Doctor, and you'll soon be smiling again.