Are you bothered by chips, cracks or stains on your teeth? Dental bonding could be a great alternative for you.
Dental bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-colored resin material (a durable plastic material) is applied and hardened with a special light, which ultimately “bonds” the material to the tooth to restore or improve person’s smile.
“Bonding is a one-visit, less expensive alternative to veneers or crowns to restore your smile,” says Dr. Nicole Fulp.
For What Conditions Should Dental Bonding Be Considered?
Dental bonding is an option that can be considered:
- To repair decayed teeth (composite resins are used to fill cavities)
- To repair chipped or cracked teeth
- To improve the appearance of discolored teeth
- To close spaces between teeth
- To make teeth look longer
- To change the shape of teeth
- As a cosmetic alternative to amalgam fillings
- To protect a portion of the tooth’s root that has been exposed when gums recede
What’s the Procedure for Having a Tooth Bonded?
- Little advance preparation is needed for dental bonding. Anesthesia is often not necessary unless the bonding is being used to fill a decayed tooth, the tooth needs to be drilled to change its shape, or the chip is near the nerve. Your dentist will use a shade guide to select a composite resin color that will closely match the color of your tooth.
- The bonding process.Next, the surface of the tooth will be roughened and a conditioning liquid applied. These procedures help the bonding material adhere to the tooth. The tooth-colored, putty-like resin is then applied, molded, and smoothed to the desired shape. A bright, usually blue, light, or laser is then used to harden the material. After the material is hardened, your dentist will further trim and shape it, and polish it to match the sheen of the rest of the tooth surface.
- Time-to-completion.Dental bonding takes about 30 to 60 minutes per tooth to complete.
Fulp Family Dentistry offers dental bonding as an in-office procedure, and we’d be happy to discuss this solution with you today. Give us a call!
