Dental Bonding: What You Should Know

Woman smiling. Caption: For quick and affordable cosmetic repairs, dental bonding is the ideal choice.

Dental bonding is one of the most popular options for cosmetic dentistry in Boston. It’s quick, and inexpensive, and it can treat a wide range of dental problems. Want to find out what if can do for you? Read on to learn the basics of bonding.

What Is Dental Bonding?

Dental bonding involves applying a durable, tooth-colored resin that quickly hardens and bonds to the tooth. This resin can be used to cover up or correct a number of dental problems, including:

  • Tooth decay
  • Chipped or cracked teeth
  • Discolored teeth
  • Gaps between teeth
  • Too-small teeth or misshapen teeth
  • Roots left exposed after gums recede

How Does Dental Bonding Work?

Dental bonding is a relatively quick and simple process. There isn’t much preparation required, and anesthesia isn’t usually needed unless bonding is being used to fill a decayed tooth. All we need to do before beginning the bonding process is choose the shade of resin that will match your tooth precisely.

To perform the actual bonding, we first roughen the surface of the tooth, which helps it to bond better with the resin, and then apply a conditioning liquid. The resin, which has the texture of putty before it hardens, is applied and molded to the tooth. An ultraviolet light is used to harden the resin in just a few minutes. After it hardens, we use specialized tools to shape the material and polish it to match the existing tooth. The process usually takes less than an hour from start to finish.

What Are The Benefits and Risks of Bonding?

One of the most attractive features of dental bonding is that it is so quick and inexpensive. Compared with veneers and crowns, bonding takes much less time, and it removes less of your existing enamel. Bonded teeth don’t require any special care or upkeep—just brush and floss them as you would your regular teeth, and continue to visit our office regularly so that we can monitor the condition of your bonded teeth.

However, bonded teeth don’t last forever—they last up to ten years, so they don’t offer a permanent solution. Bonding resin also can become stained over time, especially if it is often exposed to staining materials like coffee, tea, and tobacco.

With proper care, however, you can help preserve the look and functionality of your bonded teeth. Dental bonding has been an effective solution for many patients with damaged teeth or aesthetic complaints about their smiles. To discuss whether you might benefit from dental bonding, contact us today.

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