My Denture Broke: What to Do in the First 24 Hours

This article is general information. If you have a cut, swelling or pain in your mouth, get it checked.

Dentures never seem to break at a good time. It snaps in the sink on a Saturday morning, or a front tooth pops off halfway through dinner, and suddenly you are not sure if you can eat, talk or go out.

The good news is that most broken dentures can be repaired, and many repairs can be done the same day. What you do in the first few hours makes a real difference to how clean and strong that repair will be. Here is what to do right now, what to avoid, and how to tell whether your denture needs a repair, a reline or a replacement. We are the team at Kasper Denture Clinic, and broken dentures come through our lab every week.

Step one: figure out what broke

Take a close look at the denture so you can describe it when you call. Most breaks fall into one of these:

• A crack or split. Often down the middle of an upper denture, sometimes clean through into two pieces.
• A tooth that came off. The tooth has popped out of the pink base, or part of it has chipped away.
• A broken clasp. On a partial denture, the metal or acrylic arm that grips your natural tooth has snapped or bent.
• A chip on the edge. A small piece of the pink base has broken off, which can leave a sharp edge.

What to do in the first few hours

1. Take it out and stop wearing it. A cracked denture can pinch or cut your gums, and every bite can push the crack further.
2. Collect every piece. Keep the tooth, the clasp and even tiny chips of acrylic. Small pieces help the lab line everything up.
3. Store the pieces dry and together. A sealed bag or small container is perfect. Do not put broken pieces in hot water, because heat can warp the acrylic.
4. Check your mouth. Rinse with warm salt water and look for cuts or sore spots from the broken edge.
5. Call your denture clinic. Tell them what broke and ask when to bring it in. Calling first means the lab can plan for your repair.
6. Plan soft meals. Soups, eggs, yogurt and well cooked vegetables will get you through until your denture is back.

What not to do, even if it is tempting

• Do not use super glue. Household glues are not safe to have in your mouth, and glue left in a crack can make a proper lab repair harder or even impossible.
• Skip the drugstore repair kit. Kits are a short-term patch at best. The pieces rarely line up exactly, which changes your bite and can make your gums sore.
• Do not bend a clasp back with pliers. Metal clasps can snap completely or start to damage the natural tooth they hold onto.
• Do not file or sand a sharp edge yourself. You can thin the base and weaken it right where it needs to be strongest.
• Do not keep wearing a cracked denture. A small crack today is often a clean break by next week.

Can a broken denture be fixed the same day?

Often, yes. Cracks, a tooth that has come off and many broken clasps are common repairs, and urgent repairs can usually be turned around the same day when the lab knows you are coming. Bigger breaks, a denture in several pieces or a repair that needs new teeth matched may take longer. The clinic will tell you what to expect once they see it.

If you have had a natural tooth removed and wear a partial, it is also worth asking whether a new tooth can be added to your existing partial. In many cases it can, which saves you from starting over.

Repair, reline or replace?

A repair fixes the break. It does not always fix the reason the denture broke. Your gums and jaw slowly change shape after teeth are removed, so a denture that fit well a few years ago can start to rock. Every time it rocks, the acrylic flexes, and that is what causes a lot of cracks. If it is a lower denture that keeps lifting, these options for a loose lower denture are worth a look.

If your denture feels loose, a denture reline refits it to your gums so it stops flexing. If the denture is many years old, the teeth are worn flat or it has broken in more than one place, new full dentures may be the better investment. A good clinic will tell you honestly which one makes sense.

How to keep your denture from breaking again

• Clean it over a folded towel or a sink half full of water, so a slip does not end on a hard surface
• Keep it in water or a denture soak when it is out of your mouth, so the acrylic does not dry out
• Get it refit every 2 to 3 years, or sooner if it starts to feel loose
• Go easy on hard foods like nuts, ice and hard candy
• Bring it in for a check if a tooth looks loose or you notice a hairline crack

Broken denture repairs at Kasper Denture Clinic

We repair dentures in our own lab in Vernon, so nothing gets sent away to an outside lab. We do urgent and same-day denture repairs for patients from Vernon, Kelowna and Lake Country, and we can usually repair dentures made at other clinics too. All of our clinic phone lines are answered, so you can call whichever location is closest.

You do not need a dentist to send you, either. Denturists do not need a referral, so you can call us directly, and we bill insurance directly as a registered CDCP provider.

Broken denture? Call us today

Call our Vernon denture clinic, Kelowna denture clinic or Lake Country clinic, tell us what broke, and we will tell you when to bring it in. You can also send us a message.

Written by the team at Kasper Denture Clinic, a family run denture clinic serving Vernon, Kelowna and Lake Country since 1974.