My Denture Broke in Half: What to Do Right Now

A denture that snaps in two feels like an emergency, especially if it happens before work, a family event or a meal. The good news is that a clean break through the base is one of the most common repairs a denture lab sees, and in many cases it can be fixed the same day. What you do in the first hour makes that repair easier.

Step 1: Stop wearing it and collect every piece

Take the denture out, even if the halves still seem to hold together. Biting on a split denture can chip the broken edges, and those edges are what the lab uses to line the pieces back up exactly. Look for small chips on the counter, in the sink or in your mouth. A fragment the size of a grain of rice can still matter.

Step 2: Do not glue it

Super glue and household adhesives are the most common reason a simple repair becomes a hard one. Glue sets in a thin layer between the pieces, so they never meet in their original position. It also has to be ground away before the lab can bond the acrylic properly, which removes material and can change the fit. We cover this in detail in Denture Base Crack Repair for Broken Dentures.

Step 3: Store the pieces safely

• Rinse the pieces gently in cool water. Never use hot water, which can warp acrylic.

• Wrap them in a damp paper towel or put them in a small container or zip bag.

• Keep them away from pets and small children, and never wrap them loosely in a tissue that could be thrown away.

Step 4: Take two quick photos

If you are not sure whether to drive over, take one photo of the pieces laid together and one close-up of the break. Photos help the lab tell you whether it looks like a straightforward rejoin, whether a tooth or a clasp is also damaged, and roughly how long it may take.

What the lab does with a denture broken in half

The technician fits the pieces together on a model so the break lines up exactly, then rebuilds the joint with denture acrylic, reinforcing it where the base was thin. The repair is then trimmed and polished so your tongue does not feel a ridge. For a typical clean break, many of our repairs are finished the same day. If a tooth is missing too, see How to Replace a Missing Denture Tooth Safely.

When a break is a warning sign

Dentures often break in half because they no longer sit evenly on the gums, so they flex every time you bite. If yours was loose or rocking before it broke, mention it. The break can be repaired, but your dentist may also want to check the fit so it does not happen again. When Is Denture Repair Without Dentist Safe? explains which problems a lab can handle directly and which need a dentist.

How much will it cost?

It depends on the damage, not on how dramatic it looks. A single clean break is usually one of the simpler repairs. Our guide to denture repair cost explains what changes the price.

Denture Repair Laboratory is at 62 Montvale Ave, Unit J-2, Stoneham, MA. We are open Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm and Saturday 9 am to 12 pm. Walk in, call (781) 526-8688, or send us a photo from our homepage for an estimate.