Does Your Broken Denture Count as a Dental Emergency?

As should be obvious, dentures aren’t your real teeth. They’re made of artificial stuff like resin instead of natural tissue. Still, a broken denture counts as a dental emergency. Your life greatly suffers when dealing with such an appliance. That said, you should have your dentist fix the situation at once. If you’d like to have the details, the matter is simple enough. Here’s a summary of what causes broken dentures, why they’re an emergency, and how a dentist can help.

What Causes Broken Dentures?

While made to be sturdy, dentures can break from a variety of factors. The most common ones include:

• Injury or Impact: At times, your denture might fall or slip from a great height. It could also receive a heavy impact that leads to cracks.
• Natural Wear & Tear: When you use a denture for a long enough time, it’ll go through many stress cycles of wear. The restoration will then be at a greater risk of breaking or fracturing.
• A Shrinking Jawbone: Unfortunately, not even well-fitted dentures can stop a jaw from shrinking due to tooth loss. As said shrinkage continues, the appliance can suffer stress that makes it crack.

Why are Broken Dentures an Emergency?

However artificial they are, dentures serve crucial everyday roles. They allow you to chew food, speak clearly, and smile beautifully. As such, having them break is typically very disruptive to a patient’s life.

The resulting changes in your well-being collectively count as a dental emergency.

In light of this reality, you should get a broken denture addressed quickly. Failing to do so will result in drops in your well-being.

How Can a Dentist Help?

Based on the type of break and its cause, dentists have several ways to treat a broken denture. Your dental provider can suggest one based on an in-person assessment.

If your dentures break from an impact, a dentist may recommend a reline. This option would add material to the prosthetics and repair parts causing a poor fit. It’s even quick enough only to take an hour or so.

For broken and worn restorations, your dental provider may try to replace them with newer ones. This choice would address your previous treatment’s wear and tear.

Lastly, a denture that breaks from a shrinking jawbone can be switched out for an implant type. The latter kind is custom-made, so it fits snugly and gives you more confidence in day-to-day life. It also reduces and prevents bone loss, lowering the risk of facial collapse.

In the end, trust that your broken denture counts as a dental emergency. Therefore, get it looked over by a local dentist as soon as possible!

About the Practice

The Center for Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry is based in Hammonton, NJ. Led by Dr. David Crecenzo, our practice strives to give each patient warm, modern dentistry. To that end, we offer preventive, cosmetic, and restorative services, as well as emergency dental care. Naturally, our team also provides top-quality dentures and other restorations. For more information or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (609)-561-0058.