Fix Your Broken Tooth with Dental Bonding

Woman smiling. Caption: Dental bonding with make your smile whole again - as if nothing ever happened!

Teeth can be broken by chewing on hard candy or ice. They can also be broken in an accident or sports injury. Fortunately, dental bonding is a procedure in cosmetic dentistry that provides a quick and inexpensive solution to chips, cracks, or broken teeth.

What Is Dental Bonding?

Dental bonding is a cosmetic solution to such dental issues as chipped or broken teeth, teeth that are too narrow or too long when compared to your surrounding teeth, gaps between teeth, and discolored teeth. The bonding material is a high-quality composite resin that also can be used as filling material for decayed teeth. Dental bonding was once employed only as a temporary solution. However, with the improvements that have been made in the materials, dental bonding can last for three to ten years with proper care.

What Are the Steps In The Dental Bonding Procedure?

At Dental Partners of Boston, we start with a consultation to discuss all your options, including dental bonding, dental veneers, and crowns. We will explain each option together with its pros and cons, and we will make recommendations based on what we believe is the best solution for you.

When you come in for your appointment, we will first perform a complete dental examination. Then we will thoroughly clean your teeth to provide the best surface for the bonding. Next, we will prepare the surface of your teeth to accept the bonding material with an etch substance. The etch substance assists in creating a strong adhesion between your teeth and the bonding material.

We will carefully match the bonding material to your natural tooth color before applying the bonding and molding it in place. We use ultraviolet light to dry and cure the bonding material. Once the bonding material is completely cured, we file the bonding material to shape it to match the shape of your natural teeth. Then we clean and polish the bonded teeth to give them the same shine as your natural teeth.

The entire procedure should take 30 to 60 minutes. Since no anesthetic is required, you can immediately return to whatever you had planned for the rest of the day. Usually, the procedure can be completed during a single appointment. If, however, you need to have several teeth bonded, you may need to schedule multiple visits.

How Do I Care for My Teeth After the Bonding?

The bonding material is prone to staining, so for the first 48 hours, avoid cigarette smoke and drinks such as wine, coffee, and tea that easily stain teeth.

During the first few days, if your bonded teeth feel unusual or not right when you bite down, or if you notice sharp edges that need smoothing, call us at our office to have your bite adjusted. As always, if you have any questions or problems In the future, contact us.

If you do chip or break a tooth, or if you already have a chipped or broken tooth, contact us at Dental Partners of Boston for a consultation to discuss whether dental bonding might be the right cosmetic dentistry solution for you.

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