Emergency Denture Repairs

We also make new dentures

New Dentures

More about denture repairs…

Take a Seat

We are capable of fixing most broken dentures in our dental laboratory while you wait, so sit back and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere as our highly skilled dental technicians get to work. You can have a complimentary tea or coffee while you wait, or you can arrange to pick up your dental appliances at a later date or time more suitable to your schedule. A technician will always be on hand to supervise as a patient tries in a recently-repaired denture so that adjustments can be made if there are any immediate concerns with the denture repair process.

Denture repair service, while you wait, is only available with booked appointments. Patients who walk into the establishment without a denture repair appointment may not be seen immediately, and an assessment may not be made until either Simon Miles or a laboratory technician are available to help. Work generally may not be commenced on a walk-in denture repair until other booked-in work has been completed.
Additions and alterations to a denture may take longer but we will advise you on how long it may take once we have assessed the denture.

 

A Stronger Denture

When we repair your dentures for you it is sometimes possible to add a surgical stainless steel bar which is placed perpendicular to the origin of the fracture. The metal is completely encased within the acrylic and is not visible when the denture is being worn.

 

DIY Repair kits

Most DIY denture repair kits contain the same acrylic cold-curing resin used by dental technicians. This will bond to the denture and render it irreparable in most cases, and it is strongly recommended that you do not use these products. If you do wish to take the risk then we suggest you follow our denture repair step by step to help reduce the risk of ruining your denture completely.

 

How We Repair Dentures For You

Firstly, If the denture is broken in two, we tack the two halves together with a very mild form of cyanoacrylate making sure that the two sections join together perfectly. Next, we take either a plaster mould or a condensation cured putty and cast it into the fitting surface of the model. Once set, the denture is removed from the mould and tack is removed from the denture by drilling away the acrylic. About one millimetre of acrylic is removed from the fracture surfaces and the acrylic is trimmed with a chamfered edge from the fitting surface to the polished surface at a thirty-degree angle. The model is sealed and the two halves are repositioned on the model. The acrylic putty is mixed and then applied before being cured under high pressure in a hydro flask. The denture then has any excess trimmed away before it is polished and buffed to a glossy shine.

 

 Some information about denture adjustments…

 A Small Tweak

When we provide you with a denture it’s worth remembering that most new dentures will need a few small adjustments. It’s not because the denture was made incorrectly but down to discrepancies between our working model and your mouth. Gum tissue can be quite soft in areas (mucocompressive) and fairly firm in others (mucostatic) and there are techniques that we employ to reduce these discrepancies as much as possible to provide you with the most comfortable denture right from the start. It doesn’t take much time to adjust a denture and sometimes you may need several visits to get them just right. It’s also worth remembering that the mouth is an extremely sensitive area and the smallest of pressure spots can cause a great deal of discomfort. We will always endeavour to see you as soon as possible.

 

Denture Alterations

If you have a denture that we did not provide for you, we refer to these in house as alterations. It just makes it easier for us to identify what may be expected and how much time we need to allocate. A denture made by us will not take very long to adjust and will normally be quite a simple affair, simply because we are familiar with how it was made. If, however your denture was provided elsewhere and it needs some sort of adjustment, it may take a little longer depending on what needs to be done. We can reline the denture to make it fit better, replace or reposition teeth, change the colour of the teeth or add teeth to a denture. In fact there isn’t much we cant do with a denture but sometimes the costs involved can exceed the cost of replacing a denture outright.

Denture Assessments

Before we carry out any work on a denture will will always assess it and then give you several options. We will always explain what will be in your best interest and we will always give you an alternative, where possible, with all the facts so you that you can make an informed decision on what’s right for you.

Big Problem Little Fix

It’s quite common for us to see patients that have had a new NHS denture fitted that is causing problems. More often than not, the problem is that the denture does not fit properly, or or the bite doesn’t register and is uncomfortable. Fortunately, we are often able to rectify these problems. Please be aware that we may have to keep the denture until the next day to fix the problem, but we will make you well aware of this should you wish to arrange to pick them up at a date more suitable for you. If you do choose to have your denture adjusted by us we will always explain how much it will cost and how long it will take. Please be aware that we are not an NHS surgery and we do not have an NHS contract; it will be your responsibility to pay the bill. If you don’t wish to pay, you will need to go back to the dentist that provided the original treatment.

 

Denture Additions

Additional teeth can usually be added to a denture while you wait. If you do not want to wait while your dentist sends your denture away to have a tooth added, simply give us a call.