Dental Bonding
Your Dentist Offers Quick Cosmetic Solutions!
There are several cosmetic treatments to choose from in dentistry these days, but many of them are not created equal. Some treatments cover several imperfections but require removing enamel to do so. Others don’t quite give the results you may expect. Luckily, dental bonding offers a reasonable middle ground for patients trying to hide several types of imperfections without removing tooth in order to do so. When life happens, consider dental bonding to be a second chance for your smile. Get started on your treatment by contacting Dr. James Cole at Integrity Dental today!
What is Dental Bonding?
Also known as composite bonding, dental bonding is a common procedure that uses composite resin to restore damaged teeth. Composite resin is a mixture of plastic and glass that’s typically used for fillings, however, it’s just as usable for restoring teeth with cosmetic chips that don’t require fillings or dental crowns to improve.
Unlike porcelain veneers, dental bonding doesn’t require the fabrication of restorations in order to place. In fact, a dental bonding procedure can be performed in a single visit and doesn’t require specific aftercare instructions to maintain. Composite resin is durable enough to handle the daily wear that teeth experience, just make sure to visit your dentist every six months and practice daily at-home oral care.
How is Dental Bonding Used?
Dental bonding is often used to mold teeth to make them appear whiter, straighter or shaped more naturally than before. Once you’ve gone over what you’d like to change about your smile with Dr. Cole, he can begin your treatment. Unlike most cosmetic treatments, bonding requires little to no preparation to perform. In some cases, you won’t even need local anesthesia because of how relatively painless the treatment is for most people.
To start, Dr. Cole will use a shade guide to determine which composite resin color will best match the color for your tooth, allowing it to blend in seamlessly and naturally. Once chosen, he’ll lightly etch the surface of the tooth to roughen it and apply a condition liquid, creating a better surface for the resin to bond to.
Once prepared, he’ll apply the putty-like resin to the tooth, followed by molding and smoothing it until it’s reached a proper shape. Afterwards, he’ll harden the resin with an ultraviolet light, trim it further and polish it until it’s reached the desired color and shape.
Why Would You Want to Consider Dental Bonding?
In most cases, dental bonding is an ideal treatment for:
- Hiding cosmetic chips, cracks, gaps or discoloration in teeth
- Making teeth look longer (i.e. treating gummy smiles)
- Making crooked teeth appear straighter (excluding patients with crooked teeth due to an overbite or underbite)
- Patients who don’t want to buff down significant enamel to improve their smile’s appearance
- Patients looking for a quick and cheap solution to cosmetic imperfections
To get started improving your smile’s appearance quickly and effectively, contact your local cosmetic dentist in Farmington today!