If your teeth are less than perfect, one of the simplest and least expensive cosmetic dentistry procedures you can opt for in order to change the appearance of your teeth is dental bonding. Unlike other types of cosmetic procedures, bonding does not require the taking of molds and subsequent manufacturing in a lab of a dental apparatus or prosthesis. Rather, it is a procedure that can performed in a single visit, right in the dentist’s office, and it can be a quick solution for teeth that are less than perfect.
What constitutes a “less than perfect” dental issue that can be fixed using a bonding process? Bonding is a good solution for teeth that are chipped, cracked or discolored. It can also be used to close spaces between teeth or to increase the length or shape of teeth so they look better or more evenly match other teeth in your mouth. However, it is not a solution for every type of dental issue. For example, if your teeth are badly misaligned, no amount of dental bonding will help make them straighter. Additionally, if you are missing a tooth, you cannot utilize the dental bonding process to replace the missing tooth, since the process requires that the bonding material be adhered to an existing tooth.
The most popular uses for bonding are to repair chipped teeth, change the shape of teeth or spacing between teeth, as well as to cover discolored teeth. During the procedure, a tooth-colored composite resin material is bonded to the natural tooth and is then shaped and polished until it matches the surrounding teeth. The bonding material can be shaded to match the color of existing teeth as closely as possible, or if bonding is being used on all teeth to whiten them, the color can be selected by the patient.
Prior to placing the composite resin bonding material on the tooth, the exterior surface of the existing tooth is slightly etched to make it easier for the resin material to adhere to the surface. In addition to etching, a light conditioning liquid is brushed on the front surface of the tooth to further improve the adherence of the bonding material. Once the tooth has been properly prepared, the dentist applies the bonding material to the tooth, which has a putty-like consistency. The resin bonding material is then carefully molded by the dentist until it takes on the proper shape.
After the composite resin has been molded to achieve the desired shape and size, an ultraviolet light or laser is used to harden the resin bonding material. Once hard, the bonding material is then further shaped, if necessary, to ensure that it is the right shape, length and width. Then the tooth is polished until the surface sheen of the resin matches a natural tooth surface.
The entire procedure can be performed in one office visit and generally takes about a half hour for a single tooth. It is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to improve the look of teeth, but if you have extensive damage to your teeth, other procedures should be considered as well. If your teeth are properly taken care of (proper brushing and flossing, regular visits to the dentist, no biting on hard objects such as pens or fingernails, etc), bonding can last for a number of years, although each person experiences different lifespans for their dental bonds due to a variety of different factors.
For more information about dental bonding or to schedule an appointment for a cosmetic bonding procedure, contact Park Dental Care in Queens at 718-274-1515.
