Since dentures aren’t “real” teeth, you may think it’s no big deal if they break. A fracture in your prosthetics won’t harm your smile, right? You can just keep using them until you find time for a fix. However, the truth is that broken dentures are a dental emergency; they threaten oral health. Patients should see a dentist quickly if a break happens. As for the specifics, read on and learn the details from your Jupiter dental practice.
Sadly, Dentures Aren’t Unbreakable
Today’s dentures are pretty sturdy, but they aren’t unbreakable. They can sometimes crack and fracture for a wide range of reasons. Overall, those reasons fall under two categories: natural causes and accidents.
It’s not uncommon for dentures to break from natural causes. Based on how long they’re used and the stress cycles they endure, the prosthetics may fracture over time. Some of them can also chip and crack as they slowly become ill-fitting. Since dentures don’t stop bone loss from missing teeth, your mouth’s shape could pressure them as it changes.
At the same time, dentures can break from accidents. It’d be easy enough for them to crack due to a fall, collision, or slip from your hands. Fractures could also happen if they get knocked around or mishandled.
Broken Dentures Are an Emergency
They may not be “real” teeth, but broken dentures are a real emergency. Not getting them fixed would damage your oral health and make life challenging.
The issue is that dentures don’t work well when they break. In that case, they can’t help you smile, chew food, or speak properly; just this effect can lower your quality of life. Using the broken dentures would also lead to cuts on the inside of your mouth, damaging your oral tissues.
How Can Dentistry Fix Things?
A qualified dentist would have several ways to fix or treat your broken dentures, including:
- A Denture Reline – If the original break is small due to a poor fit, a dentist could just reline your denture.
- Denture Replacement – When dentures break due to poor materials or natural wear and tear, many dentists can provide a replacement.
- Switch to Implant Dentures – Some dentists could help you switch to implant dentures if your initial ones broke due to jaw shrinkage. As an extra perk, the new prosthetics would stop (or even reverse) jaw-related bone loss and boost your confidence.
While broken dentures are a dental emergency, that doesn’t mean they’re unfixable. Remember to see your dental provider as soon as you can!
About the Practice
Palm Dental Professionals is based in the beautiful town of Jupiter, FL. Led by our four highly skilled dentists, our practice aims to give every patient truly custom dental care. That means we tailor our preventive, cosmetic, and restorative treatments to your smile, ensuring the best results possible. Our team even handles dental emergencies like broken dentures! For more details or to book a visit, please reach us on our website or by phone at (561)-404-4325.