Dental Bonding

What is dental bonding?

Dental bonding is a procedure that is often used to restore teeth affected by decay as well as for the repair of chipped or fractured teeth and masking a  range of dental imperfections such as stains, discolorations, gaps,  misshapen, or undersized teeth. A popular method for restoring and  improving the appearance of a person’s smile, dental bonding qualifies  as a cosmetic procedure by virtue of the fact that the composite resins used for the procedure  are tooth-colored and come in a range of shades that blend seamlessly  with natural tooth structure.

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Can dental bonding fix my chipped tooth?

A dental bonding procedure, which is performed to fill a cavity or to cosmetically repair a chip, fracture, enamel defect or gap between teeth is known as a  “direct composite restoration.” For a direct composite restoration, both  artistry and precision are required as the dentist places the selected  shade of composite resin and carefully sculpts it to rebuild or improve  the appearance of a tooth.

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In terms of the cosmetic repair  of dental defects, the masking of discolorations or the closure of gaps  between teeth, a dental bonding procedure is considered the most  economical and quickest method of care out of all the cosmetic solutions  available for these types of corrections. Unlike porcelain veneers or ceramic crowns,  dental bonding is a minimally invasive, one-visit cosmetic procedure.  Moreover, unless a cavity is being cleaned and prepared prior to a  dental bonding procedure, no drilling of tooth structure and no  anesthesia is required.

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How is a dental bonding procedure performed?

When performing a bonding  procedure, it is important to enable the composite resin to firmly  adhere to the underlying tooth structure. To do this the surface of the  tooth is etched and then painted with a liquid bonding agent just prior  to the placement of the filling or cosmetic bonding. As the dentist  places the composite resin, it is carefully sculpted to achieve the  desired shape and then cured with a special light or allowed to set.  Once hardened, the newly bonded restoration is polished and buffed for a  smooth finish. Some dentists may offer composite veneers as an alternative to porcelain veneers, artistically bonding and  blending successive layers of composite resin to transform the  appearance of a tooth.

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Caring For Bonded Teeth

While a bonding procedure  offers an excellent and cost-effective method of care for the treatment  of minor cosmetic dental issues, there are a couple of considerations  with this approach. Teeth that are restored or cosmetically enhanced  with a dental bonding procedure are as a rule more susceptible to  staining and chipping than with other types of cosmetic treatments. For  this reason, highly pigmented foods and drinks are to be avoided along  with tobacco products. As dental bonding can easily chip and break, it  is also important not to bite into hard objects or foods and to avoid  oral habits such as biting one’s nails or chewing on pens. However, with  proper hygiene and care, a bonded restoration can last for many years.