What to do when your denture breaks and how to avoid it
by Tarvo Puust, DD
nightmare! You've gone out to dinner on a Friday night and all of a sudden your denture breaks. What do you do? Who do you call when all denture clinics and dental offices have closed for the weekend? Before this happens to you, it's best to understand why a denture breaks in the first place and avoid these embarrassing and potentially expensive emergencies from happening.

Ill fitting dentures significantly increases your risk of breakage. When a loose denture has a slight rock, it can crack in half when biting on something hard or soft. You can also slowly develop hairline cracks in the denture,

which cause the denture to become weak, and eventually crack. This can be avoided by relining your denture every 2-3 years or even sooner in new denture wearers.

Old partial dentures often break the teeth off the denture when the acrylic surrounding the teeth wears through. As your natural teeth come in contact with the denture, wear spots develop until your teeth have worn right through the denture. Examine your partial to determine whether the acrylic surrounding the denture teeth is starting to wear thin. The denturist

can either reinforce the weak area, or start working on a new, replacement denture.

To prevent breaking your denture when brushing, simply line your sink with a towel each time you brush to give it a soft landing place in case it slips.

If your denture does break when all offices are closed, there is the Innisfil Denture Clinic in Alcona that can take your denture in case of an emergency. But be prepared to pay emergency fees. Visit your local denturist before it breaks at a time that is more

convenient for you. You can easily avoid these potential emergencies by examining your denture daily for weak spots and make sure that your denture fits securely. Well-fitting, and cosmetically pleasing dentures are an investment in yourself. Go ahead, treat yourself You deserve it!

Any denture related questions can be directed to the Innisfil Denture Clinic, 958 Innisfil Beach Rd. Alcona (across from the library) 705-436-1886 or email idcdenture@rogers.com.