Dental Bonding
Dental bonding has revolutionized certain areas of dentistry. Dentists now use bonding for cavity prevention, preparation and cosmetic treatments.
During a dental bonding, we apply a tooth colored resin plastic to your tooth. A special light is then used to harden or “bond” the material to your tooth.
“What is bonding used for?”
Bonding is most commonly used for:
• Restoring decayed or cracked and chipped teeth
• Improving the appearance of stained teeth
• Closing spaces between teeth
• Changing the shape of teeth
“What is the difference between Bonding, Crowns and Veneers?
Bonding, crowns and veneers are all used for cosmetic purposes and can change your smile for average to magnificent. Bonding is less expensive and less complicated than crowns and veneers.
Dentists prefer bonding for:
• Small cosmetic changes
• Temporarily correcting cosmetic defects
• Teeth that have little bite pressure such as front teeth
While veneers and crowns are custom made in a laboratory requiring multiple visits, bonding is performed in our office and usually takes only one visit.
The Bonding Procedure
Bonding is a simple three step procedure, taking about 30-60 minutes per tooth.
#1. We prepare the tooth by removing a small amount of enamel.
#2. We select a composite resin that matches the shade of your tooth and a conditioning material is applied to help the resin adhere to the tooth.
#3. We use an ultraviolet light to harden the resin.
“Do you have to do anything special to your teeth when you have bonding?
There are no extra things you need to do to take care of bonded teeth. Good maintenance is all you need. Brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing daily and seeing us on a regular basis is enough. Bonded teeth are susceptible to chipping so you should not chew things such as pens, ice or your fingernails.
Any questions?
Ask Stephen E. Stein
D.D.S., P.A.