Knowing about Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a procedure in which a durable plastic material or a tooth colored resin material is applied and hardened with a light, which eventually bonds the material to the tooth to improve or restore person’s smile.

Dental bonding is an option that can be considered for conditions such as,

  • To repair cracked or chipped teeth
  • To repair decayed teeth.
  • To make teeth look longer.
  • To close spaces between teeth.
  • To improve the appearance of discolored teeth.
  • To change the shape of teeth.
  • To protect the part of the tooth’s root that has been exposed when gums recede.
  • It can be used as a cosmetic alternative to amalgam fillings.

Procedure involved in tooth bonding

  • Preparation: Little advance preparation is required for dental bonding. Anesthesia is not necessary unless the bonding is used to fill a decayed tooth.
    Your dentist will use a shade guide to choose a composite resin color that closely matches your tooth color.
  • The bonding process: This process starts with the roughening of the tooth surface and application of conditioning liquid.
  • This procedure helps the bonding material adhere to the tooth.
  • The tooth colored, resin like material is then applied, molded and smoothed to the desired shape.
  • A laser or ultraviolet light is used to harden the material.
  • After the material is hardened, your dentist will trim it down to shape and polish it smoothly so that it shines equally to the rest of the tooth surface.

Advantages of dental bonding

  • Dental bonding is the most easy and low expensive cosmetic dental procedures.
  • Unlike crowns and veneers which are customized tooth coverings that are usually manufactured in labs, dental bonding for a tooth can be done in one office visit unless teeth are involved.
  • Compared with crowns and veneers, the least amount of tooth enamel is removed in dental bonding.
  • Unless dental bonding is done to fill a cavity, anesthesia is usually not required.

Limitations of dental bonding

  • Although the resin material that is used in dental bonding is resistant to stains, it does not resist as well as crowns.
  • Also, the bonding material do not last long nor remains strong as other restorative procedures.
  • Additionally, the bonding materials can break off and chip the tooth.

Do bonded teeth requires special care?

  • Bonded teeth do not require additional special care. One should simply follow some good oral hygiene practices.
  • Brush teeth at least twice a day and floss them at least once in a day and visit your dentist for regular check-ups and cleanings.
  • As the bonding material can chip, it is crucial to avoid certain habits such as chewing on ice or other hard food objects, biting fingernails or using bonded teeth as an opener.

Because of certain limitations of dental bonding, dentists view it as best suited for minor cosmetic changes, such as correction of cosmetic defects, correction of teeth in areas of low bite pressure etc.

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