Can You Repair Your Dentures Yourself?
It can be a cause for concern when you break your dentures. Whatever the reason for the breakage, you need to find a solution as soon as possible. While visiting your dentist for the necessary repairs is the most appropriate course of action, there might be instances when you are not able to do so as quickly as you'd like. In some cases a DIY denture repair kit can offer a temporary solution until such time as professional repairs can be performed.
An Approved, Safe Repair Kit
You can find emergency denture repair kits at many pharmacies. While using such a kit doesn't offer a permanent solution for your broken dentures, purchasing one from a pharmacy is more appropriate than buying one online from a foreign supplier. While a kit supplied from an offshore retailer might be subject to the same regulatory approval (achieved after the necessary safety checks) as those purchased in Australia, it's best to be totally sure. The adhesives (specialist denture repair glue) contained within the kit need to be safe to be placed inside your mouth. This is why it's critical that you never use household glues to repair your dentures. Even when using a safe glue, you need to ensure that the work has had sufficient time to dry (as per the manufacturer's instructions) before using the dentures again.
Reattaching Individual Teeth
Be wary about attempting to reattach any prosthetic teeth that might have broken off your dentures' acrylic base. Only do so (using the safe glue provided in the repair kit) when the tooth has broken off in its entirety. Attempting to glue a partial prosthetic tooth can be problematic. It's difficult to adhere a partial tooth with sufficient stability, meaning that it can easily detach and pose a choking hazard. Some denture repair kits offer a range of prosthetic teeth in order to replace any that have broken off from the denture base. Remember that these replacements are only designed to operate on a temporary basis.
Not a Substitute for Professional Repairs
This type of DIY denture repair using an appropriate kit is not a substitute for professional denture repair. Only attempt to repair it yourself if you are not able to visit your dentist within a timely fashion for whatever reason. While repair can be possible, it might be the case that a new set of dentures will need to be fabricated. This is often a more appropriate course of action if the breakage is deemed to have destabilized the dentures to the point where repair would only be a band aid solution in the long term. Having said that, using a DIY kit can be necessary if you have an immediate social or professional situation where you will need to have your dentures.
It cannot be stressed enough that a DIY repair kit is only a temporary solution. Your dentures will require repair or replacement as soon as can be possibly arranged. But when you're in a jam, a DIY kit can offer a short term solution.
