If you are reading this blog post, you are more than likely experiencing some problems with your dentures breaking
There are a number of potential reasons for this. The first reason and perhaps the most obvious is the accidental dropping of your dentures. This one does not need too much of an explanation and is unfortunately, quite common and often occurs when cleaning them and they are dropped into a sink for example. See our blog on “How to clean dentures” for tips on how to avoid this.
Another common cause is the denture fracturing in the mouth when in use, for example eating. This can be caused by a problem with your bite. For example, if your denture has excessive pressure being applied this can cause a breakage.
In the majority of cases, this is caused by the impact of natural lower teeth into a plastic denture.
If you have had the same set of complete dentures for a number of years you could also be at a higher risk of this. The shrinkage of jaw bones can also cause regular breakage which is why those with older dentures may experience more regular fractures. This is because the denture no longer fits as accurately as it once did when it was first made. As a result of this, there is more pressure on the denture the biting/chewing, as it bends under said pressure.
Dentures with a soft lining are more prone to breakage, simply due to the fact that they are made using a lower quantity of hard acrylic, therefore making them weaker.
Now we have established some of the factors that could be causing your dentures to break, let’s think about what to do in the event of a breakage.
First and foremost, never attempt to super glue or fix your broken denture yourself or attempt to use a store bought repair kit. By doing this, you significantly reduce the likelihood of the professional repair being successful.
Instead, the first thing you should do is pick up the phone and call us on 0115 941 7052 and arrange a time for us to repair it correctly. We are almost always able to repair your broken dentures in the same day so you will not be left without them for any length of time.
It can usually take between an hour and an hour an a half (if it’s a fairly standard case). Something a little more complex can still be done in the same day but may have a slightly longer wait.
If you have any queries regarding a broken or fractured denture, please do not hesitate to contact any of our three clinics and our friendly team will be happy to answer any questions and help you out the best they can.