How to Repair Broken Dentures

If you wear dentures, it’s just as important for your oral health to keep your dentures clean and in good repair as it is for natural teeth. Dentures that are broken or that don’t fit correctly can cause pain in your gums or other problems in your mouth. But if your dentures are broken, what can you do to repair them?

Can You Fix Your Dentures Yourself?

In emergency situations, you can use a denture repair kit to temporarily fix your dentures. However, it’s not advisable to try to repair your dentures yourself. If your dentures break, the first step you should take is to call your dentist and make an appointment to get your dentures repaired or replaced as soon as possible. However, sometimes you need your dentures repaired sooner than you can get in to see the dentist. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to repair your dentures yourself. This self-repair should just be temporary until you can see your dentist.

Furthermore, there’s only so much damage that you can repair yourself. If your dentures have broken in half, then there’s a good chance that the denture repair kit won’t be enough. So long as the bonding material is safe for dental use, such as that from an FDA-approved denture repair kit, you can try to use it to repair a large break in your dentures. But it’s likely that you may need to wait until your dentist appointment to get them repaired.

Buy a Denture Repair Kit

Pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens often sell denture repair kits, which are also available on Amazon, that you can use to do an emergency repair of your dentures. These kits can be used to repair such damage as cracks, breaks, and loose teeth on your dentures. These approved kits contain bonding material that can help to temporarily repair a break or crack until you can get in to see your dentist.

How to Use a Denture Repair Kit

To use a denture repair kit, first make sure that your dentures are clean and also completely dry. You’ll also need to make sure that there aren’t any missing pieces and that you can put your dentures back together. If they won’t go back together, the denture repair kit won’t be able to work.

The denture repair kit comes with a glue-like adhesive. You may have to mix the adhesive yourself, following instructions provided with the kit. Once the adhesive is prepared, use a small spatula to carefully spread the adhesive along the crack or broken edge of your dentures. Then, press the pieces of your dentures together and hold it for five minutes. You’ll want to make sure that the dentures are perfectly aligned throughout the entire time.

Next, once the adhesive has dried, scrape away any excess adhesive that is left on your dentures. Soak your dentures in hot, but not boiling, water for ten minutes to clean them. Carefully dry your dentures and then use sandpaper to wear away any spots that are rough. After that, wash both the dentures, the spatula that you used earlier, and your hands with both soap and water.

Don’t Use Glue

It’s important not to use glue or another adhesive that isn’t specifically designed for dental use. Any non-dental adhesive isn’t meant to go in your mouth and can cause problems if it does. If you need to make an emergency repair on your dentures, you should look for a denture repair kit that contains FDA-approved safe bonding materials.

When Do Dentures Need to Be Replaced?

Some breaks may be so severe that your dentist can’t repair them. At your dentist appointment, your dentist will examine the dentures and determine what needs to be done. Your dentist can determine whether a repair is possible and whether the dentures are worth saving. A denture replacement may be your best option.

For informational purposes only.