A broken denture can usually be repaired, and how well it comes back depends as much on what you do tonight as on the break itself. Keep every piece, do not wear a fragment with a sharp edge, and do not glue, file or bend anything. Call in the morning and describe the break, so the visit can be planned before you arrive.
What should I do with the broken denture pieces tonight?
A denture that arrives with every piece and no glue on it can often be fixed quickly through our denture repair and relines service, so tonight's job is to protect the pieces.
- Do collect every piece, including a tooth that popped out and any small chips, and put them in a rigid container with a lid. A sealed bag inside a small box works.
- Do rinse the pieces gently in cool water and keep them in a lidded container, dry or in plain water. No hot water, which can warp acrylic.
- Do wear your old spare set if you have one, even if it fits poorly, for meals only.
- Do eat soft food tonight and chew carefully if you are wearing a cracked but intact denture.
- Do not use household glue, super glue or a repair kit. The reasons are below.
- Do not file, sand or trim a sharp edge. The acrylic will not come back, and the fit changes.
- Do not wear any piece that cuts your gum, tongue or cheek.
- Do not bend a partial denture clasp back into shape. The metal fatigues and snaps, and a snapped clasp is a bigger repair than a bent one.
Why does glue make it worse?
Household glue soaks into the acrylic and sets the pieces in a slightly wrong position. It also leaves a residue that keeps them from being joined cleanly at the repair, so a one-visit fix can turn into a remake. The American Dental Association's MouthHealthy guidance on dentures makes the same point, that a denture should not be repaired or adjusted at home, and our denture repair and relines page covers the full answer.
What broke, and what does it usually mean?
Each kind of break calls for different first aid, and each has a usual fix.
| What broke | Tonight | Usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| A tooth popped out | Keep the tooth. Do not press it back in. Do not wear it overnight if the gap is sharp. | The tooth is bonded back in, often in one visit. |
| A crack in the pink base | Wearable for meals if intact and nothing is sharp. Keep it out otherwise. | Crack opened, cleaned and rejoined with new acrylic. Often one visit. |
| A broken partial clasp | Leave the clasp as it is. Do not wear it if the end pokes the gum. | A new clasp is made and fitted. Can need the lab. |
| A chipped edge | Wear it only if the chip is smooth. A sharp chip stays out. | The edge is rebuilt and polished, often the same visit. |
| Snapped clean in two | Keep both halves. Do not fit them together. Wear the spare if you have one. | Halves realigned on a model and rejoined. Simplest repair when every piece is present. |
Can I still wear a cracked denture until the visit?
A denture with a clean crack and no sharp edge can usually be worn for a day for meals and to be seen in public. Keep it out if a piece is missing, if any edge catches your tongue or cheek, or if a tooth is loose enough to come free while you eat. A swallowed tooth is the one part of a broken denture that can become a medical problem.
If you swallow a tooth or a fragment and have any coughing, choking or trouble breathing, go to the emergency room. If you swallowed a piece and have no symptoms, call your physician. The rest of the night-time decisions are in our guide on what to do in a dental emergency.
What does the denture repair visit look like?
Dr. Estrada looks at the pieces first and tells you what the denture needs before any work starts. Simple repairs, such as a cracked base or a popped-out tooth with every piece present, are often done the same day in the office. Repairs with missing or crumbled pieces, or a partial that needs a new clasp, can involve the lab and a short wait.
When you call, say what broke, whether you have every piece, and whether anything is sharp or missing. That tells us which kind of visit to expect.
We are open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Outside those hours, leave a message, and urgent calls are returned first thing.
If you winter here, pack the old spare set when you come down. A break in Hudson or Port Richey does not have to wait for your dentist at home. A denture from any office, often years old, can be repaired here.
When is a repair not the right answer?
Some dentures are past repair, such as one that has broken twice in the same place, a base worn thin, or a fit that went wrong long before the break. In those cases the conversation turns to a reline or a new denture. Our denture repair and relines page covers when a reline will do and when a new denture is the better answer. A fuller list of wear signs is in our post on the seven signs a denture is worn out.
For anyone thinking further ahead, same day teeth compared with traditional dentures and our guide to dentures, bridges, implants or All-on-4 compared show where extra stability comes from. A denture is a good outcome, and one that keeps breaking in the same spot has simply reached the end of its working life.
Bring the pieces in and let us look
Tonight, collect, rinse and box the pieces, and leave the glue where it is. Tomorrow, call (727) 869-3886 or use our contact page, describe the break, and bring every piece. This article is general information, not a diagnosis. Dr. Estrada decides what the denture needs once he has the pieces in hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if a tooth falls out of my denture and I still have it?
Keep the tooth somewhere safe and bring it with the denture. A tooth that came out whole can usually be bonded back into its socket in the base, often in a single visit, as long as the socket has not been filled with glue. Do not press it back in yourself. It will not seat correctly and can crack the base.
Can I sleep without my denture for one night if it broke?
Yes. Dentures should come out overnight anyway, which the American Dental Association also advises, so a night or two without one is fine for the gums. Keep the pieces in a lidded container, dry or in plain water, and avoid hot water. If you have no spare and need to be seen quickly for a social or work reason, say so when you call so we can plan the visit around it.
How do I carry a broken denture to the office without losing pieces?
Use a rigid container with a lid, such as a small food container or a denture case, and put small pieces in a sealed bag inside it. Do not wrap anything in tissue, which is how pieces end up in the trash. Bring the spare set too if you have one, so the fit can be compared.
Will a repaired denture fit the same as before?
A clean repair with every piece present usually fits as it did, because the pieces are realigned on a model of your mouth before they are joined. A denture that was already loose before it broke will still be loose after the repair, which is when a reline is discussed at the same visit.
