Common Repairs Your Denture May Need
Just like natural teeth, if you have dentures, they are eventually going to need to be repaired by your dentist. A denture may break over time, or it may suddenly break. Either way, it's important to your dental as well as emotional health that your repairs are done quickly. Here is a look at the common things that can occasionally go wrong with your dentures and require denture repair.
Hairline Cracks
If you notice small hairline cracks in your dentures, there is a good chance your dentures do not fit very well. Ill-fitting dentures can lead to one area being stressed more than other areas. If you have both upper and lower dentures and one or both don't fit well, they are likely out of alignment. This can also cause hairline cracks to develop.
Like most things, once you have a hairline crack in something, the crack gradually enlarges. When you continue using a denture with a hairline crack, it will fit even more poorly, exacerbating the situation. Eventually, a hairline crack will simply crack completely. Dentures that do not fit properly are uncomfortable and will cause mouth sores, so be sure to visit the dentist if your fit is off.
Impact Cracks
If you drop your partial or denture on a hard surface, it may fracture the pink acrylic part of the denture completely. Obviously, this will render the denture immediately unusable and will require immediate repair.
If you are lucky, you may only crack a tooth. This isn't ideal, of course, but at least you will still probably be able to wear your dentures until you can bring it to be repaired by a denture lab technician. With a partial, dropping it may cause a complete fracture, damage a tooth or damage the metal clasps.
Denture Reline
In order for your denture to fit properly and stay in place securely, it must fit the palate of your mouth perfectly. This is not just a one and done process, however. Your mouth changes as you age and your gums shrink.
When you feel your denture does not fit as well as it once did, it is time for a denture reline. The dental lab will take a new impression of your mouth and adjust your denture accordingly. This typically needs to be done every 5-7 years.
Denture Rebase
Sometimes, if your mouth or gums have changed a lot, your dentist may recommend a denture rebase instead. This is when the dental lab makes a completely new pink acrylic base, and then the teeth are placed back in.
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