How Dental Bonding Can Give You a Beautiful Smile
Are you embarrassed to show your smile because of imperfections or damage to your teeth? If that sounds like you, dental bonding can bring back your confidence by repairing minor flaws in your teeth that keep you from having that perfect smile. Dental bonding can have many benefits, including damage repair, concealment of imperfections, adjustment of dental proportions (i.e., the relative size of one tooth to another), and the brightening of stained teeth without breaking the bank. Read on to learn more about this inexpensive and painless procedure.
What Is Dental Bonding?
Dental bonding is the application of composite resin to the teeth either to repair damage caused by decay, fracture, or chipping or to improve the appearance of a discolored tooth. In certain circumstances, bonding can also be used to fill gaps between teeth, make teeth appear larger than they are, to protect portions of teeth exposed by receding gums, or to change a tooth’s color or shape. The process is so named because the material used to achieve the desired result is “bonded” to the tooth. Bonding can be combined with whitening or performed as a stand-alone procedure, wherein a shade guide is used to match the color of the composite resin to the area it is being applied. It is a relatively simple process and is one of the most inexpensive cosmetic dental procedures available.
How Does Bonding Work?
Your tooth will be lightly abraded to roughen the surface, enabling the resin to adhere more effectively. The dentist then uses a shade guide to select the composite resin color that matches the color of the tooth most closely. A liquid film is then applied to the tooth which helps the bonding material take hold. Once the tooth is fully prepped, the dentist applies a properly shaded putty-like resin, which is molded and smoothed until it has formed the desired shape. The applied resin will then be hardened using a special form of concentrated ultraviolet light. Once the bonding material hardens, it is ready to be honed and shaped to the desired contours. It will then be polished to match the sheen of the remainder of the tooth surface. Bonding of one tooth generally takes approximately half an hour to complete. Two teeth can often be done in a single visit; if you want to have several teeth bonded, you may need to schedule multiple appointments. As with teeth themselves, the bonded resin can be stained by food, tobacco, and especially by tea and coffee. To minimize staining, it is essential to avoid ingesting foods or substances that can stain for at least 48 hours after the bonding procedure. Maintenance of a regular oral hygiene procedure, including brushing twice daily, flossing at least once daily, and regular professional cleaning by a trained dental hygienist, will also help prevent the staining or erosion of your bonded teeth.
What Issues Can Dental Bonding Resolve?
Dental bonding is frequently used to resolve a variety of dental conditions and imperfection. The most common include the following:- Closing gaps in between teeth (for minor gaps; significant gaps can often only be fixed by orthodontia);- Treatment of deep stains;- Treatment of minor tooth decay (significant decay usually requires fillings);- Repair of chips and fractures;- Adjusting/improving misshapen teeth; and- Adjusting tooth size (where certain teeth are too large or small when compared to others).Bonding is a great way to fix minor problems with your smile and help keep your teeth healthy and beautiful. To learn more about how dental bonding can be an excellent option for you, contact us today!
