No dental treatment can be considered a cure-all strategy or a one-size-fits-all approach. Dental bonding, however, comes fairly close. With a myriad of versatile treatment applications and a wide array of benefits, dental bonding has something to offer nearly every patient.
What Is Dental Bonding?
Sometimes referred to as "teeth bonding" or "composite teeth bonding," dental bonding is a popular treatment option with applications in both restorative and cosmetic dentistry. The treatment uses a special material called composite resin to repair, restore, and improve the look of the teeth.
Composite resin, a type of plastic, can be dyed to match a patient's natural teeth, applied to a tooth's surface, and shaped, molded, textured, smoothed, and cured to create a new look or restore a damaged tooth.
How Is Dental Bonding Used?
Dental bonding offers a wide variety of treatment applications with restorative and cosmetic benefits. Some of the most common treatment applications of dental bonding include:
- Changing the size or shape of a tooth
- Creating a completely new look with composite bonding dental veneers
- Masking stains on discolored teeth to create an evenly colored, brighter appearance
- Filling in tooth gaps
- Sealing and restoring chipped, broken, cracked, or fractured teeth
- Replacing old, silver-colored, amalgam dental fillings
- Treating tooth decay, soft spots, and cavities with dental fillings
- Cover dentin and tooth roots that have been exposed as a result of receding gums
- Provide relief from tooth sensitivity due to receding gums
The Benefits of Composite Bonding
As a restorative and cosmetic treatment, dental bonding offers several advantages over alternative treatment options.
- Versatile Treatment Applications - Dental bonding has many treatment applications, making it a versatile option that can help patients achieve several different dental care goals in a variety of treatment scenarios.
- Minimally Invasive - Dental bonding requires no surgery and almost no prep work prior to application, and it is minimally invasive. As a result, patients experience no pain during the course of treatment and are ready to resume their normal activities as soon as they leave the dental office.
- Quick and Simple Treatment - The dental bonding treatment process is quick and simple with preparation, application, sculpting, and curing taking place during a routine appointment time. Of course, treatment times can vary depending on the scope and relative complexity of the individual dental bonding treatment.
- Long-Lasting - Composite resin is tough, durable, and resistant to stains. As a result, dental bonding is a long-lasting treatment option. Depending on the placement of the dental bonding and type of treatment application, it can last an average of three to ten years. If damaged, it can be quickly, easily, and cost-effectively repaired, touched up, or replaced.
- Non-Permanent - Unlike alternative treatments, dental bonding is not permanent because it does not require invasive preparatory dental work such as the removal of tooth enamel prior to placement. As a result, dental bonding allows patients to try out new looks without making an irreversible, permanent commitment.
- Cost Effective - Generally, teeth bonding costs far less than alternative treatment options such as dental veneers or dental crowns.
What to Expect: The Process of Getting Dental Bonding
The dental bonding treatment process begins with a consultation and examination. Our dentist first discusses your concerns and treatment options with you. We then perform a dental examination and take dental X-rays to ensure that dental bonding is the treatment that can best meet your needs.
Before beginning treatment, we select a shade of composite resin to match your natural teeth and create a seamless look. To begin the treatment, our dentist then prepares the surface of your tooth, using a gentle, yet slightly abrasive chemical conditioner to clean and roughen the surface of the tooth. This preparation step helps to create a strong and secure bond between the resin material and the surface of the tooth.
We then apply the composite resin to the tooth and then mold and smooth it into the desired shape and texture. Once we've achieved the desired look, we use a special light to cure and harden the resin, bonding it to the tooth. Once hardened, we make slight adjustments to ensure a comfortable fit and a neatly polished final look.
The process of getting dental bonding can vary, depending on the reason for the dental bonding treatment. For example, dental bonding to fill a cavity begins with the cleaning of the cavity and removal of bacteria from the tooth, while dental bonding to cover a stain simply begins with the preparation of the tooth's surface.
Prior to your treatment, our dentist will talk with you about everything that your individual treatment plan entails, and we will be happy to answer any questions you might have about the procedure and your treatment expectations.
Complete Care With Dental Bonding at Preston Dental Loft
If you're interested in improving the look of your smile or have been experiencing frequent tooth sensitivity, then dental bonding could be the right treatment option for you. To learn more about treatment with composite dental bonding, we welcome you to contact Preston Dental Loft to request a consultation with our dentist in Cary, North Carolina today.
