Can You Fix Dentures If a Tooth Breaks Off?

Posted on: 23 June 2016

While dentures are robust and designed to last, they can be damaged and can suffer from wear over time. For example, if you drop your dentures or if the side of your plate becomes too worn, one or more of the teeth on the plate may come off. Can you re-attach a broken off tooth from dentures yourself or should you have a professional repair?

The DIY Approach

There is plenty of advice online on how to stick a tooth back onto a denture plate using regular glues or specialist dental adhesives. While this may get your tooth stuck back on your plate, it isn't always the best solution and is not likely to give a long-term fix. For example, some glues will lose their strength over time when they are exposed to the moisture in your mouth, and the tooth may simply fall off again.

It can also be tricky to get one tooth in its exact position on a plate after it has broken off if you don't have the right kind of technical expertise. This may leave you with a wonky tooth that affects your denture fit, your bite and your ability to eat comfortably on that part of your dentures. The glue itself and any sharp edges left from the original breakage or from your DIY fix can also irritate your mouth and gums and may make them sore.

The Professional Approach

For a better fit and quality of repair, it's typically best to take your dentures and the broken tooth (including any pieces that came off with it) to your dentist. Your dentist can assess if your tooth can be fixed back in place without affecting your denture fit and comfort. If your denture looks suitable for repair, your dentist can arrange this for you.

In some cases, a repair may not actually be feasible. For example, if you dropped your dentures and badly damaged the plate as well as lost a tooth, or if your dentures are so worn that they are no longer strong enough to hold the missing tooth, you may be out of luck. In these cases, you may have no other choice but to have new dentures made.

Warning: Don't be tempted to just leave dentures that have a missing tooth without sorting out the problem. You may think that you can afford to lose a back tooth that isn't visible; however, missing teeth can make it harder to eat and may make your dentures fit less well.

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