ABOUT DENTURE REPAIRS

Finding help in repairing broken dentures- what are the options?

Dentures are designed to withstand normal oral tasks like chewing for about five to seven years with the right care. Although they are meant to replace a missing tooth or teeth, dentures are not as strong as our natural teeth. This means that they can be damaged due to some reasons, which include; daily wear and tear, bruxism, aging, poor dental fit as a result of jaw bone shrinkage or even by accidentally dropping them. In case this happens, don’t panic! 

A broken denture should be an awakening call to visit your dentist. Although it might be tempting for most people to try and fix the broken dentures themselves using household glues or super glue, professionals strongly discourage that. 

Reasons you should avoid fixing them yourself!

• Most importantly, glue is not fit for oral consumption and may lead to sickness especially in the form of stomach upset. 
• Most of the commonly used household glues are fickle to dental ceramic hence; they will destroy any joint you try to repair by melting the plastic around the edges. 
• It is difficult to glue the breakage without slight ridging perfectly. Such a slight bump will cause a lot of discomfort in your mouth and may even damage the gums and the tongue. 
• Lastly, by trying to DIY, you might end up breaking them more. 

So How Do Broken Dentures Get Repaired?

Specialists will first access the broken denture to determine the damage. 

It is done to assess how well the broken or fractured segments will fit with each other. This is isn’t much of a problem unless the patient had tried to fix the dentures earlier using adhesives and glues. And because such glues are not strong, the dentures end up fracturing shortly after repair. Continued attempts to glue them can lead to distortion of the edges at the fracture line. In such a situation then the denture cannot be repaired accurately and results in a poor fit and uneven bite denture. 

Attachment of broken pieces

Wax is applied to the fractured edges, and then, the broken segments are re-attached. It is done as a temporary measure to correct the damage 

Fitting

The denture, whose broken parts have been attached, is placed back into the mouth to ensure that it fits perfectly. Remember, a slight discomfort can be a big deal! 

Coverage of the Fracture Line

Once fitting has been done, and the denture feels all right in the patient’s mouth, then, silicone matrix or plaster is poured into the denture to cover the noticeable fracture line, exposing a practically all-in-one surface. 

Smoothing the repaired denture

Finally, the excess silicone matrix is removed around the fractured line and replaced with a new acrylic base to smoothen the surface. The denture is then polished and buffed to give a smooth finish. 

Evaluation of Repaired Denture

Evaluation is done in the mouth of the patient to evaluate the denture fit and bite. Any further relining of the denture or bite adjustments are performed based on the individual’s requirements. 

Based on the outlined steps to dentures repairing, it is clear that this is a procedure which requires knowledge of dental materials and skills hence requires a professional to fix them and restore your bright smile. 

Lastly, here are tips on how to care for your dentures and ensure they serve you. Remember, proper denture care is important for not only their health but also for the health of your mouth. 

• To avoid accidentally dropping them, always stand them over a folded towel or a sink full of water during handling. 
• Clean them on a daily basis using denture cleaners but not toothpaste because they can be abrasive, causing microscopic scratches in which plaque and food can build up. 
• When not worn, keep them moist, so they do not dry out or lose shape. This is done by soaking them in cold water or some denture cleansers. However, if the denture has metal attachments, seek advice from your dentist.