Dental bonding is a cosmetic dental treatment that involves applying a tooth-colored composite material to a tooth, shaping it, hardening it, and polishing it.
It is an excellent choice for minor cosmetic dental procedures such as repairing a damaged or chipped tooth or filling tiny gaps between teeth.
What Is Dental Bonding?
Tooth bonding is a treatment in which your dentist repairs damage to one or more of your teeth using a tooth-colored composite resin. It is cost-effective compared to other cosmetic dentistry procedures, such as crowns and veneers.
Who Does Dental Bonding Work Best For?
Dental bonding is most effective on teeth that have sustained minimal trauma and are not severely decayed.
If you have lost a tooth (or a significant portion of a tooth), or if your tooth is badly damaged, you may prefer a dental implant over bonding.
If you have always wanted whiter teeth, you should whiten your teeth before bonding. For bonding, your dentist will select a shade that matches the color of your natural teeth.
Why Is Dental Bonding Done?
Dental bonding can help you do the following:
- Repair your damaged teeth
- Repair any chipped and cracked teeth you may have
- Enhance the look of your discolored teeth
- Close gaps between your teeth
- Make your teeth appear longer
- Change the shape of your teeth.
How is Dental Bonding Done?
Preparation for Bonding
Dental bonding requires little preparation in advance. Anesthesia is often not needed unless we are talking about a decaying tooth, and the tooth requires drilling to modify its form.
Your dentist will use a shade guide to determine the closest match possible between the composite resin color and the color of your tooth.
Bonding Procedure
- The dentist will roughen the tooth’s surface and apply a conditioning solvent
- They will then apply, shape, and smooth into place putty-like resin
- Strong light or laser is used to harden the material
- The dentist will trim and shape it further before polishing it to match the tone of the surrounding tooth surface.
Time Required to Complete Bonding
The teeth bonding procedure takes around 30 to 60 minutes per tooth. You may need a longer time to complete it if your dentist has to do some other procedures on your teeth before starting the bonding work.
For example, if you have holes in your teeth because of tooth decay, those holes must be treated before bonding the resin.
What Are the Risks of Dental Bonding?
Dental bonding is a painless procedure. It has no harmful effects. Unlike veneers, the dentist does not drill down the tooth. Because of that, if you break the composite resin, you may get it repaired.
In addition, composite resin cracks and fractures less frequently than veneers and crowns. And the resin is getting better due to advanced technology and research.
The disadvantage of tooth bonding is that the composite resin is not nearly as strong as a natural tooth, making it more prone to chip or breakage.
If you plan to undergo dental bonding, it might be time to give up bad habits like biting your fingernails and chewing on ice or pencils, as these might chip the resin.
How Much Does Teeth Bonding Cost?
Dental bonding costs vary according to geographical location, the length of the treatment, and the dentist’s competence. You may spend between $300 and $600 per tooth without insurance.
Before booking an appointment, contact your dental insurance provider. Certain insurers classify dental bonding as a cosmetic operation and do not meet the expenses.
How Long Does Dental Bonding Last?
The survival of the bonding depends on the amount of bonding performed and your oral habits. However, bonding substances typically last between three and ten years before requiring repair or replacement.
The bonding material’s placement on the tooth is critical in influencing the longevity of a dental bond. If the substance is placed on the tooth’s edge, it may chip away during a bite.
Do not eat food that requires extensive chewing. When chewing with bonded front teeth, avoid biting food straight from the front since this might impair the stability of the dental bond.
Benefits of Dental Bonding
Cost
Dental bonding costs somewhere between $300 and $600 per tooth. This is much cheaper than many other dental cosmetic treatments you may need.
Speed
Typically, dental bonding needs just one office visit. The complete procedure takes between 30 and 60 minutes per tooth.
Ease
No anesthesia is required if bonding is utilized to fill a decaying tooth.
How To Care for Bonded Teeth
Follow the guidelines below to improve oral hygiene and keep your bonded teeth in good shape.
- Brush your teeth twice daily to remove plaque and tartar. Preferably twice a day, once during the morning and once in the evening. This minimizes the accumulation of dirt around your teeth, which can result in cavities.
- Use floss to clean the space between your teeth.
- Brush the bonding surface in the same manner. Each day, rinse your mouth with lukewarm water.
- Rinsing your mouth with salt water may help since it helps prevent germs from accumulating in the plaque.
- If the resin does break off for whatever reason, talk to your dentist. Repairing resin is easy.
- Limit coffee, tea, and red wine consumption.
- If you are a smoker, this is an excellent incentive to stop smoking. Smoking raises your risk of gum disease or oral cancer.
- Avoid biting nails or chewing on hard items such as ice, pencils, or raw carrots.
- Consult your dentist if you detect any sharp edges on your teeth or if your teeth feel unusual when you bite down.
Dental Bonding: Further Considerations
Dental bonding requires some creative ability for the best cosmetic outcomes. That is why it is crucial to pick a dentist experienced in cosmetic procedures. Do not hesitate to ask for before and after photographs of past patients from your dentist.
Nothing, not even the composite resin, is as strong as the natural teeth. Thus, while the bond restores the tooth, you must still take care of it. You should abstain from activities such as biting on hard food. At the same time, sugary foods may wreak havoc on the bonding agent.
It is also worth noting that resin does not withstand stains as effectively as enamel. If you consume a lot of coffee and red wine, you are more prone to develop long-term discoloration. Regrettably, composite resin cannot be whitened. Therefore, if you stain your bond, you may be stuck with them.
When to Call a Professional
Call your dentist within a few days of having the bonding done if you detect any sharp edges on the bonded teeth or if your teeth feel weird when you bite down.
Dental Bonding: Final Word
Dental bonding can repair your damaged teeth or the gap between teeth. It is also an easier and painless option. At the same time, it is a method that helps you look great.
Sources
- International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives. Graphene oxide-modified dental adhesive for bonding orthodontic brackets.
- Japanese Dental Science Review. Silver-based dental alloys.
