Everything You Need to Know About Denture Repair

Missing your natural teeth can greatly affect your bite function, impaired speech, and make you self-conscious about smiling. Whether you’ve lost teeth from dental trauma, natural aging, decay, or gum disease, dentures are a cost-effective and convenient way to restore oral health, function, and smile. You’ll be able to chew, speak, and laugh with confidence.

Like most dental restorations, dentures can get loose or damaged over time. In this article, let’s learn more about denture repair and essential maintenance tips for your dentures. Dental Partners of Brookline offers high-quality dentures in Brookline, MA.

Why Do Dentures Need to be Repaired?

While dentures are strong and long-lasting, they won’t last forever. Typically, your mouth tends to change shape as you age, which can cause the denture not to fit correctly. Ill-fitting dentures can be uncomfortable and make it difficult to eat or speak normally. Even worse, they can easily slip or fall out, which can be embarrassing.

A few signs can indicate your dentures need repair, including:

• Difficulty chewing

  Well-fitting dentures should be comfortable and should feel normal when eating. You might need denture repair if you’ve recently found it difficult to chew certain foods or your dentures are regularly sipping out when chewing. You might also avoid chewing with the dentures or food sticking more.

• The denture dislodges more often

  Well-fitting should fit snugly over your mouth. Your dentures might need repair if they slip or fall off regularly when eating, speaking, laughing, or sneezing.

• There’s damage

  Since dentures are removable, it’s easier to notice damages. You should consult your dentist for repair if your dentures are cracked, misaligned, or broken.

• Staining and odor

  Like your natural teeth, dentures need excellent oral hygiene and care. Poor hygiene can cause the denture to stain and encourage bad breath and oral infections. These signs indicate that you should speak to your dentist.

How Are Dentures Repaired?

If you think your dentures need repair, you should speak to your dentist as soon as possible. It would be best if you did not adjust or fix them on your own, as you may end up causing further damage.

When you visit the dentist, they will examine your mouth and your dentures to determine the type of repair or adjustment you need. If the denture is new and ill-fitting, the dentist will only need to adjust them to provide a perfect fit.

If the denture is cracked or broken, the dentist can repair the denture. They can glue back or replace the damaged or missing pieces. If the denture is worn out or extremely damaged, you might need a new denture.

Maintenance Tips for Dentures

Proper care for your dentures is important to keep them in good working order and last longer. While you can’t prevent natural wear and tear, at least you’ll avoid unnecessary adjustments or repairs.

Below are key tips for caring for your dentures:

• Handle the dentures with care

  While dentures are durable and strong, they can easily break if they fall or are exposed to extreme chewing forces. To avoid damaging them, avoid chewing hard items like ice. Similarly, consider washing them over a towel, so they don’t break if they accidentally fall.

• Clean your dentures daily

  Dentures significantly increase your risk of oral infections like cavities, gum disease, oral thrush, and bad breath. That’s why it’s essential to clean and soak your dentures daily. It helps to eliminate any bacteria or plaque that may have accumulated during the day. When cleaning the dentures, use a soft-bristled toothbrush, non-abrasive paste, or denture cleaner. Soak them overnight in water, denture solution, or as directed by the dentist. Be sure to avoid hot water.

• Clean your mouth

  You need healthy gums, teeth (if any), and jawbone to provide a solid base for the denture. Therefore, you should brush and floss your mouth at least twice daily to keep them from oral problems like cavities and gum disease.

• Schedule routine dental check-ups

  It would be best to visit the dentist twice a year for routine dental check-ups and cleanings. This also allows your dentist to inspect your denture’s fit and functioning and provide any repairs if necessary.

Schedule an Appointment Today

Are your dentures damaged, uncomfortable, or ill-fitting? Or do you need new dentures near you? Book a dentist appointment at Dental Partners of Brookline for more information.