As we age, changes in smiles can occur. Our teeth can yellow, crack, chip, shift and even fall out. If gaps, spaces, decay, gum recession or chipped, broken, uneven or discolored teeth give you a less than perfect smile, you might be a candidate for tooth bonding. Tooth bonding is performed by our doctor for patients in our region to help them create a beautiful smile.
What is tooth bonding?
Tooth bonding is a dental procedure during which your dentist uses a variety of composite resins for structural purposes to restore your smile. Composite resins enable your dentist to fill in gaps and restore chipped, broken and discolored teeth to create a beautiful smile.
Your tooth bonding consultation
During your initial consultation, our doctor will discuss your particular condition, your expectations, and the probable outcome of your treatment. You may be shown several before and after treatment photographs of patients having similar conditions, and you will receive an explanation of your treatment. Before and after photos may be taken of the area to be treated to document your results.
Who are the best candidates for tooth bonding?
If you are unhappy with your smile due to chipped, broken or discolored teeth, tooth bonding may be the solution you have been waiting for. The best candidates for tooth bonding are in good general health, do not smoke, have a desire to improve their smile, have realistic expectations and healthy gum tissues that are free of periodontal disease.
How is tooth bonding performed?
Tooth bonding is performed in 1 - 2 office visits. Your visits may take from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the area being treated. If your treatment is of a smaller nature we can most likely make the necessary corrections in 1 visit. However, if your treatment requires a mold and a temporary filling you will require 2 visits.
Bonding resin comes in a wide variety of shades and colors. We will match the resin we use to the color of your natural teeth. Our dentist performs tooth bonding by first preparing the surface of the teeth to be treated. Then your teeth will be coated with a mild etching solution to create irregularities in the enamel surface of your teeth. This will create a better surface for the resin to bond to. After our dentist applies and shapes a layer of resin on your tooth a high intensity light is used to harden the resin. The hardening only takes a few minutes. Our dentist will continue to add layers of resin until there is enough to be sculpted and polished to a beautiful shine to match your smile.
How will I feel after tooth bonding?
Following your tooth bonding procedure you may experience some sensitivity in the treated teeth. This may persist for a few weeks but should gradually diminish. If you feel that you are experiencing unusual sensitivity, please contact our office. We can evaluate your sensitivity and help to alleviate it.
Will my tooth bonding stain?
Under normal oral conditions your bonding will not stain any more than your natural teeth. In most cases, bonding is durable enough to withstand the stresses of ordinary mouth function. Tooth bonding performed by a qualified dentist should not darken or discolor with age or diet.
How long will my tooth bonding last?
How long your bonding lasts depends on many factors that are unique to the individual. For many patients, their bonding will go for 10 or 15 years and look as good as the day it was put in. Other patients will get staining on the margins of the bonding after 1 or 2 years and will need some touch-up work.
It is unlikely that you will ever have to replace your bonding if you take care of it. However, some touch-up work might be normal after 3 - 5 years. If your dentist recommended porcelain, it is unlikely that you will require any additional treatment on the porcelain composite bonding.