What should I do if my denture breaks?

If your denture cracks, breaks, or a tooth comes loose, keep all the pieces and contact your dentist rather than trying to fix it yourself. Bring the denture with you so it can be checked and assessed for repair. Home repair kits and household glue are not a safe long-term fix and can make a proper repair harder.

In short

• Keep any broken pieces or loose teeth, and contact your dentist rather than attempting a repair yourself.
• Bring the denture with you to your appointment so your dentist can check whether it can be repaired.
• A denture repair kit, where sold, is intended for short-term emergency use only, not as a lasting fix.
• Household glue is not made for use in the mouth and can make a proper repair harder.
• Going without a denture, or wearing a broken one, can affect eating, speech and comfort, so contact your dentist rather than leaving it.

This article is part of the dentures information on this site for patients in Cape Town.

What should I do straight away?

A denture, described on the dentures service page, is custom-made to fit your own mouth. Stop wearing it if it is cracked, broken, or a tooth has come loose, since a damaged denture can rub or cut the mouth. Keep every piece, including any tooth that has come away, and bring them all to your appointment. Contact your dentist to have it checked rather than trying to realign or wear it as it is. What counts as a dental emergency? covers when a dental problem needs to be seen the same day, which can apply if a sharp or broken edge is cutting your mouth.

Why not repair it myself at home?

A denture is precisely shaped to fit your own mouth, and a home repair can easily leave it sitting unevenly, which affects both comfort and how well it works. Over-the-counter denture repair kits do exist in some countries, and where they are sold, the United States Food and Drug Administration, which regulates them, requires them to carry a warning that they are for emergency repairs only, and that long-term use of a home-repaired denture can lead to faster bone loss, ongoing irritation and sores, with the advice to see a dentist without delay. Household glue is a further risk, since it is not made to be safe in the mouth. Both the NHS and the American Dental Association’s patient guidance point the same way: bring any broken parts to your dentist so they can check whether the denture can be repaired, rather than attempting it yourself.

Can every broken denture be repaired?

Not always. Whether a denture can be repaired depends on how it broke, how old it is, and its general condition. Sometimes a crack or a loose tooth can be fixed. In other cases, your dentist may recommend relining the denture to improve the fit, or making a new one instead. This is the same kind of assessment used when a denture no longer fits well because your gums and jawbone have gradually changed shape over time, which is a normal part of owning a denture, covered in How long does it take to get used to new dentures?

What if I cannot get an appointment straight away?

Avoid wearing a broken or sharp-edged denture, since it can injure your gums or cheek. If you rely on it for eating or speaking, softer food in the meantime can help until you are seen. Do not use any adhesive not intended for dentures to try to hold broken pieces together, even temporarily, since this can make the eventual repair more difficult and is not a safe substitute for a proper fix.

How do I reach Dr Davies?

To have a broken denture checked, call Dr Davies directly on her own mobile, which is shown on this page. You can also ask for an appointment through this site. Whether a repair, a reline or a new denture is right for you affects the cost, which reception can quote for in writing after an examination. Dr Davies provides dentures at BRS Dental on Strand Street, in Cape Town City Centre, and this page gives general information rather than an assessment of your own denture.