Cosmetic Dental Bonding

Introduction to dental bonding

The dental bonding procedure utilizes a composite resin and is used for a variety of structural as well as cosmetic purposes. One can draw a parallel between dental bonding materials and a sculptor's clay. By using dental composite resin bonding your dentist can restore chipped or broken teeth, fill in gaps and reshape or recolor your smile.

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What is tooth bonding?

Bonding is a composite resin filling placed in the back teeth as well as the front teeth. Composites are the solution for restoring decayed teeth, making cosmetic improvements and even changing the color of your teeth or the reshaping of teeth. Bonding will lighten any stains you may have, close up minor gaps and can be used to correct crooked teeth. Basically, bonding will cover any natural flaws applying a thin coating of a plastic material on the front surface of your teeth. After this, your cosmetic dentist will apply a bonding material and sculpt, color and shape it to provide a pleasing result. A high-intensity light then hardens the plastic, and the surface is finely polished.

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How long does tooth bonding last?

While the traditional silver fillings last about seven years, these composites should last about seven to eleven years.

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How is Tooth Bonding Accomplished?

A very mild etching solution is applied to your teeth to create very small crevices in the tooth's enamel structure. These small crevices provide a slightly rough surface permitting a durable resin to bond materials to your teeth. The resin is then placed on your tooth and high-intensity light cures the resins onto your tooth's surface - with each individual layer of resin hardening in just minutes. When the last coat has been applied to your tooth, the bonded material is then sculpted to fit your tooth and finely polished.

The resin comes in many shades so that we can match it to your natural teeth. Due to the layers involved, this procedure will take slightly longer than traditional silver fillings because multiple layers of the bonding material are applied. Typically bonding takes an hour to two hours depending on your particular case.

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Types of Tooth Bonding Procedures

There are two types of bonding. What type is indicated in your situation depends upon whether you have a small area or a larger area that requires correction.

For small corrections

These are one appointment fillings which are color-matched to the tooth and are bonded to the surface for added strength. These are most appropriate for small fillings and front fillings as they may not be as durable for large fillings.

For larger corrections

Dental lab-created tooth-colored fillings require two appointments and involve making a mold of your teeth and placing a temporary filling. A dental laboratory then creates a very durable filling to custom-fit the mold made from your teeth. These fillings are typically made of porcelain. The custom-fit filling is then bonded to your tooth on your return visit. This type is even more natural looking, more durable and more stain resistant.

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Who is a candidate for tooth bonding?

If you have close, small gaps between your front teeth, or if you have chipped or cracked teeth, you may be a candidate for bonding. Bonding is also used for patients who have discolored teeth, uneven teeth, gum recession or tooth decay. Bonding material is porous, so smokers will find that their bonding will yellow. If you think you are a candidate for bonding, discuss it with your dentist.

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Advantages & Disadvantages of Tooth Bonding

Pros and Cons of Tooth Bonding
Advantages of dental bonding:
Esthetics is the big advantage over silver fillings. As silver does not stick to teeth, entirely healthy tooth structure is usually removed to keep a silver filling in place. Composites permit your cosmetic dentist to remove only the decayed area of your tooth. Unlike silver fillings, composite bonding expand just like your teeth and are much less likely to cause cracks in your tooth. Composites bond directly to the tooth providing support. Composites can be used to fill in cracks, chips and gaps - and will match the color of your other teeth.

Disadvantages of the dental bonding procedures:
Bonding with composites simply costs more in material and time.

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