Dental Bonding

Here are just a few of the reasons our dentists might choose to use bonding materials on your teeth:

• To Reshape Your Teeth: If your teeth are too short, bonding can be used to build onto the teeth to make the tooth look longer. Bonding can also be used to add areas to the sides of teeth, such as eyeteeth that are too small to keep the front teeth from pulling apart.
• To Fill Large Gaps: If you have a gappy smile, bonding can be used to fill in the areas between teeth to give your teeth a more straight, uniform appearance. The dentist can use fine slips of dental-grade paper to place between teeth that need to be bonded to recreate the natural junction between two teeth.
• To Repair Fillings In Visible Areas: Dentists use the same composite that is used in dental bonding to fill cavities in visible areas. For example, if you get a cavity on an incisor, one of our doctors will use bonding after the decay has been removed. The repair is seamless.
• To Cover Root Exposure: Root exposure caused by old age, aggressive brushing, or prior drug use can leave your smile sensitive and painful. Fortunately, root exposure can be covered with dental bonding, leaving your smile pristine and comfortable.

After the dentist determines that you are a good candidate for dental bonding, the area will be cleaned thoroughly. Next, the dentist will use a shade guide to determine how to color the resin so that it will match your teeth perfectly. After the resin is mixed, the dentist will apply a material to your tooth called “etch,” which creates microscopic cracks on the surface of your tooth to help the resin adhere properly. After this step is complete, the dentist will start shaping the resin around the tooth.

To cure the resin, the dentist will use a painless blue light. This light uses invisible ultra violet rays to harden the resin. After the resin has hardened, the dentist will use tools to gently shape and polish the tooth. After the repair is complete, the area will be rinsed clean. From start to finish, dental bonding takes about 30 minutes to an hour.

State-of-the-art resins have dramatically improved the lifespan of cosmetic bonding, and newer materials can last as long as ten years without needing to be touched up. However, if dental bonding gets knocked loose or wears away, it can be reinstalled easily by one of our dentists. Dental bonding is also incredibly easy to care for. Because it is shaped directly around your current teeth, the material functions like your natural teeth. Your normal brushing, flossing, and dental checkup routine should be sufficient to care for your dental bonding—no extra special care is necessary. However, it should be noted that after dental bonding, you should avoid chewing hard objects and using your teeth to open packages, just like you are normally discouraged from doing.

If you are interested in having your teeth bonded, make an appointment with one of our dentists today. With dental bonding, your teeth can look as good as new—without the steep price tag that comes along with other types of repairs.