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What Is Dental Bonding?
Sometimes called cosmetic bonding or tooth bonding, this is a process where tooth-colored composite resin is applied directly to tooth surfaces. We can use this technique to alter the shape, size, or color of the tooth and enhance its aesthetic appearance.
The composite resin closely matches the color of your natural teeth. Usually, minimal or no tooth preparation is needed.
When to Choose Dental Bonding
Dental bonding can mend or mask several issues, including:
- Stained or discolored teeth.
- Misshapen teeth.
- Teeth that are too short or worn.
- Small spaces between teeth.
- Cracked or chipped teeth.
What Are the Benefits of Choosing Dental Bonding?
Dental bonding offers several benefits, including the following.
- Treatment is affordable.
- Usually, only a single appointment is required.
- Dental anesthesia is not normally needed, and treatment is painless.
- Results are natural-looking.
- Natural tooth structure is preserved since generally no tooth modification is needed.
The Dental Bonding Process Step-By-Step
The stages of treatment are outlined below, but may vary slightly depending on your individual treatment plan. Typically, it takes between 30 and 60 minutes to treat a tooth.
Step One: Consultation & Shade Matching
During this initial consultation, we must ensure that you are suitable for treatment and discuss your specific goals. We will determine which teeth would benefit from dental bonding and can provide a comprehensive treatment plan, including the estimated costs.
Our cosmetic dentist will use a shade guide to closely match the shade of composite resin to your teeth. We keep a wide selection of different shades in stock and can blend several colors to achieve the best custom results.
Step Two: Tooth Preparation
Only minimal tooth preparation is needed, so it’s unlikely that we would recommend a local anesthetic unless we need to alter the tooth’s shape by removing some of its structure.
During tooth preparation, we lightly etch the tooth surface that will be bonded with a special etching liquid. The etching liquid creates a slightly rougher tooth surface, enhancing the bond between the tooth and the composite resin.
The tooth is rinsed and dried, and is ready for composite resin application.
Step Three: Applying, Shaping, and Polishing the Composite Resin
The composite resin is applied directly to the tooth surface in small increments and is hardened with a special light that helps to cure it. Once all the resin is in place, our dentist will carefully shape it to create the ideal contour and size.
Once shaped, the composite resin is carefully polished to provide a luster that looks and feels very natural and smooth.
Are You a Good Candidate for Dental Bonding?
Good candidates for this treatment include:
- People with only minor cracks or chips in teeth.
- Those with discolored teeth that will not respond to a tooth whitening treatment.
- Anyone with minor gaps between their teeth.
- Anyone looking for a cost-effective and fast treatment.
Although cosmetic bonding is ideal in many situations, it will not be right for everyone. It may not be ideal for people with any of the following issues:
- Severe tooth discoloration, where dental veneers or crowns may provide better results.
- Larger gaps between teeth that cannot be closed entirely with dental bonding because this material would lack the required strength.
- Severely damaged teeth that require the protection of a dental crown.
- People looking to make more significant cosmetic improvements to their smile.
- Anyone with untreated bruxism, where they clench and grind during the night, as this can chip and crack dental bonding.
How Long Will Dental Bonding Last?
Dental bonding should remain looking good for several years, but this depends on your oral and lifestyle habits. If you smoke, have a preference for eating and drinking a lot of tea, coffee, and wine, you may see bonded areas become stained more quickly.
Typically, you can expect it to last anywhere from 3 to 7 years or longer before it needs to be replaced.
Tips to help it last longer include:
- Schedule regular dental cleanings as our hygiene team can clean your cosmetic bonding professionally, helping to remove some surface stains so it remains looking good for longer.
- Between dental visits, practice good oral hygiene. Brush at least twice daily and floss every day; you can brush and floss cosmetic bonding exactly like real teeth.
- Try to avoid foods that can stain your teeth, or else rinse your mouth with plain water soon afterward to remove particles of loose food.
- Ideally, quit smoking.
- Avoid biting your nails or chewing on hard objects like pens or ice cubes. If a habit can damage your teeth, it will most likely cause your dental bonding to crack or chip.
Dental Bonding vs Other Cosmetic Treatments
Dental Bonding vs Porcelain Veneers
Dental bonding is a faster and more cost-effective option. The impact of dental bonding is quite subtle. Treatment is reversible.
Porcelain veneers will last longer and are less prone to staining. Dental veneers can create a more perfect smile, making them ideal if you wish to make more significant changes to the appearance of your teeth. However, treatment is irreversible.
Dental Bonding vs Teeth Whitening
Dental bonding is ideal for covering teeth that will not whiten during a teeth whitening treatment, such as those stained internally. Teeth whitening can only improve external or extrinsic stains.
FAQs
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Is Dental Bonding Painful?
No, dental bonding should be entirely painless since it does not require the removal of tooth structure. If any tooth structure needs to be removed, it will be minimal, usually only the tooth enamel, which shouldn’t cause pain. We can always use a local anesthetic if you have especially sensitive teeth or if more tooth structure needs to be removed.
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Will Dental Insurance Cover Dental Bonding?
If your dental bonding will protect the tooth in some way, for example, mending a small chip or crack, it may be covered by your insurance. Otherwise, using dental bonding to minimize gaps or enhance the overall shape of the tooth is more likely to be considered cosmetic and unlikely to be covered.
NYC Dentistry Center6 E 45th Street, 8th Floor, Suite 2
New York, NY 10017
(212) 810-9264