A Guide to Denture Repairs

Posted on: 23 October 2020

Dentures are made of delicate materials, especially the pink plastic base that forms the attachment point for artificial teeth. If not handled carefully, it can easily crack or break, rendering it unsafe for use. If you wear a damaged denture, you are risking injury to the soft tissue in your mouth. Here are important things to note about denture repair.

How Do Dentures Get Damaged?

Dentures can get damaged in many ways:

  1. While in your mouth — If you happen to bite down on something hard, you can easily break your dentures. Additionally, if you receive a blow or hit to your mouth area when wearing your dentures, there is a high chance that they might break.
  2. While outside your mouth — You might need to remove your dentures for cleaning purposes, when taking a nap and when sleeping at night. Be careful when cleaning them; don't be in a rush because you can easily drop them in your sink, leading to damage. If you remove them at night or during the day when you want to sleep, ensure you place them in a glass of water. Keeping them moist helps guarantee their longevity. Additionally, placing them in a glass of water prevents you from leaving them on surfaces where they can be stepped on or sat on.

What Should You Do When Your Dentures Get Damaged?

If they are in your mouth, remove them carefully to avoid injury and place them in a clean and sealable container. If they get damaged when outside your mouth, don't put them back in your mouth; place them in a clean and sealable container.

The next step is to contact your dentist and inform them of what happened. Your dentist may give you some instructions, which are usually to place the dentures in a clean container, not in your mouth and take the dentures to them as soon as possible for repair. Remember, you need to use the dentures daily; delaying is not an option.

What You Should Not Do

Avoid trying to repair the dentures yourself. The chances are high that your repair methods won't be perfect. You might even accidentally use adhesives like superglue, forgetting you can poison yourself. Take your dentures to a qualified dentist for repair.

What Can You Expect from The Dentist?

The dentist inspects your dentures to determine whether they are repairable. If not, you might need the dentures replaced.

For more information about denture repair, contact a clinic like Everton Park Dentures.

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