Dental Bonding

Bonding Procedure

Bonding is a painless cosmetic dental procedure typically completed in one visit. The dentist will use a shade guide to select a resin color that most closely matches the color of your teeth. The dentist roughens the tooth's surface, and a cleaning/conditioning solution is be applied to allow the bonding resin to adhere. Next, the dentist will lay on a bonding resin with a putty consistency perfect for molding into the wanted shape. Once the dentist applies, forms, and smoothes, a specialized ultraviolet light quickly cures the resin.

The hardened resin is easy to shape and polish. The dentist finesses the material until it matches the sheen and texture of the surrounding teeth.

The complete dental bonding process will take about an hour to complete depending on the complexity.

A Quick Fix for Minor Cosmetic Dental Problems

Bonding is among the easiest and least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures. The composite resin used in bonding can be shaped and polished to match the surrounding teeth. Most often, bonding is used for cosmetic purposes to improve the appearance of a discolored or chipped tooth. It also can be used to close spaces between teeth, to make teeth look longer or to change the shape or color of teeth. Sometimes, bonding is used as a cosmetic alternative to amalgam fillings or to protect a portion of the tooth's root that has been exposed when gums recede.

Dental bonding requires the least amount of a tooth's enamel to be removed, thus minimizing discomfort and keeping as much of your tooth's structural integrity as possible.

In most cases, anesthesia is not required for bonding treatment.

Limitations of Dental Bonding

Although bonding is highly affordable, there are a few significant limitations to dental bonding. Dental bonding is durable but, the bonding will wear down eventually. How long dental bonding lasts depends on the bonding thickness and your oral habits, such as tooth grinding, biting your nails, chewing hard foods, etc. Another minor bother with dental bonding is that tea, coffee, cigarette smoke, etc., can stain just like natural teeth.

Porcelain veneers and porcelain crowns are a more permanent solution to treating many of the same issues as dental bonding.

Book a consultation to find out if dental bonding is suitable for your goals.

A Few Helpful Links